Parallel: From Another World (1) (TPS)
by bi-time-lord
Summary: Rita Stone lives in our world. The world where a big blue box bigger on the inside is simply impossible. However, this all changes after what is most definitely an impossible event. Then again nothing is impossible with the Doctor. Follow Rita through time and space, learning about herself while struggling to comprehend her new life travelling with the Doctor and his companions.
1. Prologue

**I'm sure that the idea of a person from 'our' world somehow ending up in the world of Doctor Who has happened in many fan fictions before. That being said I do not own the initial idea of this. I do not own Doctor Who or any of its characters. Only the storyline I created and my own OC. I would also like to thank everyone who takes their time to read and vote for this story since this is my first Doctor Who fan fiction and I do not believe I am one of the best writers out there. This** **will** **contain spoilers from the show.**

 **Rita Stone is 19 years old. She is a brunette with shoulder length hair, hazel eyes and light freckles around her nose.**

Starting at the bulb and tapping her finger against the blue jeans which she definitely adored Rita was unsure how to tackle the light bulb. Not physically attack it as such but definitely to be able to reach and detach the bulb from the wire and then place a brand new one. Being just under 5 foot and the ceiling not being the lowest of those in the apartment building Rita was definitely not having the best of days.

After tapping her finger on her blue jeans some more and staring intently at the light bulb she decided the best thing to do was grow up and replace it herself which slightly scared her knowing how dodgy the electricity in this apartment actually could be.

After searching through the small room filled with useless things Rita had in what was called her home she found the small metal step ladder which may not be able to allow her to reach the bulb at ease but definitely give her a better chance at safety removing and changing the bulb.

Rita carefully began to unscrew the bulb before yelping in pain as she felt volts of electricity surging through her body before losing her balance, causing the ladder to also loose its balance bringing it and Rita crashing down to the floor only a few seconds before Rita could faintly hear the shattering of the glass bulb as it slipped from hanging out of the ceiling to smashing into millions of pieces onto the cold floor.

"Is she going to be alright?" Rita heard the whisper of a female voice that she definitely recognised from somewhere as she slowly opened her eyes and the sudden pain in her head began as if someone was playing a thousand drum beats into her ears. She opened her eyes to see a girl who didn't look much older than her peering over her body.

"Doctor she's awake!" Rita heard the faint voice of the girl not thinking much of it as her eyes adjusted to the light and her surroundings.

Rita attempted to sit up before being gently forced back down to the ground while she reached for her head and sighed as she suddenly noticed that she was no longer in the kitchen of her apartment or anywhere she actually recognised, the room she was currently in had a brown almost golden metal wall which for some reason slightly freaked her out.

"Hello?" The blonde girl asked as Rita stared at her very confused and shook her head not able to believe that Billie fricking Piper stood before her.

"Hello?" She repeated frowning a little as Rita ignored her continuing to look around the room before noticing David Tennant who was apparently dressed in the usual tenth Doctor's pinstripe suit walking over to her with the same expression on his face as Billie's.

"It's ok" he spoke calmly "we found you lying here unconscious, I'm the Doctor and this is Rose"

Rita blinked for a few seconds before she started to laugh quietly causing 'the Doctor' to turn to 'Rose' as they both shared a concerned look with each other.

"I'm dreaming aren't I?" Rita looked up at them both before laughing again. "Someone pinch me please" she spoke between fits of laughter. Rose frowned a little before doing exactly that and pinched the girl causing a small yelp and the fits of laughter to cut out.

"I'm still asleep?" Rita cocked her head to the right and looked at 'the Doctor' "how?" she asked slightly frowning.

"This isn't a dream?" He also frowned confused at what the girl meant. Rita scratched the side of her head while keeping herself leaning upright with her right arm. "I have to be dreaming, though?" she questioned like she wasn't believing it was actually a dream herself. "I was changing the light bulb at home when- the light bulb!" Rita jumped up causing her dark brown hair to fly upwards then back down and rest itself against her shoulders showing the girls true medium length hair.

"I was in my apartment" Rita held her head which was slightly thumping due to he sudden outburst, her hazel eyes widened shifting from 'Rose' and 'the Doctor' "Where am I? How on Earth.." her voice trailed off as she spun around to see a giant window. Rita slowly walked towards the glass in a trance, 'the Doctor' and 'Rose' slowly walking cautiously behind her. "That's the Earth" she choked up a little before turning back to 'the Doctor' "Where am I" Rita spoke in a shaky cold voice. "Who are you," she asked before the man had time to answer her first question.

"My name is the Doctor" he calmly said slowly walking towards her, we're on a spaceship-"

"Alien spaceship?" Rita asked turning to 'Rose' watching the girl who was a little too quiet for her liking yet Rita also trusted her a little more than 'the Doctor' for some reason.

"Yes" 'Rose' nodded slowly before adding "He's telling the truth, his name is the Doctor, I'm Rose"

"But how?" Rita asked staring at the two as if they were both ghosts, unreal to her like a dream.

"How?" 'Rose' questioned, "what do you mean how?"

"Never mind" Rita mumbled. "I guess I should play along since this is all a dream, weird how I haven't woken up yet." She thought while sighing.

"Sorry" she smiled pushing the questions digging at her brain to the back of her mind. "Where are my manners?" Rita smiled cheerfully like the past few moments never existed "I'm Rita Stone"

Rose frowned at Rita but then deeply sighed and smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Rita, that's the Doctor" she pointed at the man in the pinstripe suit who was currently not paying attention as he walked around the room closely looking at every crack and cranny in the room like he was looking for a way out. "Doctor?" Rose chuckled a little getting his attention. the Doctor turned towards Rose and Rita and smiled at them both, walking over and standing beside Rose. "This is Rita Stone," Rose told the Doctor while he nodded.

"Lovely to meet you Rita, now do you happen to know how you got here?" He raised a brow and then added: "I heard you said something about being in your apartment and then suddenly being here, remember anything in between then and now?"

Rita thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Nope" she sighed and looked down at the black jeans she was wearing and the comfy red vans (not that she was complaining). She raised a brow and looked up "Did someone change my clothes?" she asked the Doctor and Rose raising a brow themselves and then sighing when they both shook their heads.

"We found you in those clothes, well I found you" Rose grinned "the Doctor was too busy trying to get out of this room, we got locked in" she sighed. "He didn't even notice you"

"Locked in?" Rita clearly was confused with what was going on, so many questions yet no answers. "How did you get locked in here?" she looked at the Doctor who was already at one of the walls of the room carefully observing them like they were going to attack at any moment.

"We were running" he spoke in a calm quiet voice not looking away from the wall.

"From what?" Rita questioned.

"The question is" the Doctor ignored her, turning around and walked towards Rita and then past her and picked up a long brown coat off the floor and then reached into one of its pockets and picked out some black glasses and then placed them on his nose while walking back over to Rita and Rose. "Who are you?" he leant closer to Rita, the girl frowned and slowly backed away.

"I'm Rita" she continued to frown at him.

"I know that" he continued to look at her squinting his eyes. "I meant what are you?" He corrected himself and raised a brow as if it was a simple question.

"Human?" Rita replied still backing away from him. The frowning expressing on her face had turned into one very confused as if she didn't actually know what she was anymore.

"That sounded more like you were unsure" the Doctor announced and took his glasses off and placed them into the long brown coat that he was now wearing.

"You would be unsure if you were changing a light bulb and then randomly woke up on an alien ship," Rita said.

"Why are they not looking for us, Doctor?" Rose turned to the Doctor looking a little scared while he returned to the walls of the room not questioning Rita anymore.

"I don't know Rose" the Doctor sighed.

"What's looking for you? or should be?" Rita turned to Rose who followed the Doctor over to a wall of the room.

"Rita, have you ever heard of the Daleks?" He turned to her and then pressed his ear up against the wall.

"The Daleks?" Rita's voice slightly cracked as she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Yeah" she muttered. "I know what they are" Rita looked down at the ground remembering scenes from the TV show she was now apparently a part of it even was a TV show anymore. She heard the screams of 'exterminate' and saw a scene from the 50th-anniversary episode. Gallifrey was burning, children crying as the Daleks screamed with no emotion or regret in their voices just anger and hatred as they showed no mercy firing and murdering innocent men, women and children.

The Doctor heard the worry in Rita's voice and slowly walked away from the wall towards her, he placed a hand on one of her shoulders. "I'm sorry Rita" he spoke "Whatever they did I'm so sorry" he looked into her hazel eyes which were fixed on the floor. Pity and sorrow were all he could see as she remembered the horrific scenes. TV or not this all looked very very real to Rita Stone.

"They didn't do anything to me" she sighed and finally looked up at him straight into his brown eyes, hers now filled with anger which he fully knew was not meant for him. "What they did to others is what I am angry about" Rita pursed her lips while her eyes burned up at the Doctor

"So this isn't a dream then?" he grinned lighting the mood a little.

"I guess I have no proof that I'm dreaming since Rose did pinch me and nothing happened" Rita shrugged looking over to the blonde who smiled. "I also guess this is a Dalek ship then" Rita looked up at the Doctor guessing and pursed her lips again.

"Yeah, they almost took the TARDIS, we only just managed to escape ourselves"

"Emergency Programme One," Rita mumbled.

"How do you know that?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Oh um" Rita mumbled and shrugged "I know some things about you both" She pointed at the Doctor and Rose. "You probably don't believe me though" She mumbled again.

The Doctor frowned and looked at Rita, trying to figure out what she meant by that comment until turning his head to the left and hearing a loud bang on the door making him push the question to the back of his mind and talk to Rita alone about it later.

"Doctor?" Rose asked. "What was that?"

"I don't know" he answered. "Let's not stay to find out" he ran to the opposite side of the room where the black metal doors were and started to sonic the door. "Deadlocked" he groaned.

"Why have a sonic if it doesn't do wood or deadlocked stuff?" Rose asked keeping her eyes on the door. Rita grinned at the blonde's comment.

The Doctor ignored her and continued to try and open the door while Rita stared at the door on the opposite side of the room frowning. There was another bang causing Rose to jump in fright. Rita slowly began to walk over to the door like she was in a trance.

"Rita?" Rose spoke, getting no reply. She continued to slowly walk to the door before seeing a keypad on the left-hand side next to the door.

"Doctor?" Rose spoke trying to get him to notice Rita slow lying making her way to the door. Rose looked over to the Doctor for a second seeing him still fixated on opening the damn door before then switching her gaze back over to the brunette.

"Doctor" Rose repeated this time getting his attention.

"Rose wh- Rita!" He shouted noticing how close the brunette now was to the door he ran over and pulled her away by her arm taking her out of the trance she was in. "You ok?" He looked down at her seriously.

"Yeah" she muttered edging away from the door and then slightly jumping when it made another loud bang.

"Come on then" he grabbed her arm and ran over to where Rose was standing by the door taking out his sonic and finally opening the door which was lucky as a moment later the door on the opposite side of the room opened showing a Dalek on the other side.

"Exterminate!" It screamed shooting right behind Rita which luckily missed thanks to the Doctor suddenly pulling her towards him. The Doctor then ran ahead of the two girls then locked the door after they ran through after him "Stay away from that door!" He swiftly turned around and pointed and then turned back around running away from the girls who moved away from the door panting from the running.

"Didn't expect it to be like this" Rita mumbled looking at the ground.

"Expect?" Rose questioned.

"Secrets" Rita mumbled not sure of what else to say and then frowned. "That sounds like something I know someone else said once," the brunette thought out loud.

"You're mad" Rose laughed.

"And he's not?" Rita joked, raising her eyebrows and looked over to where the Doctor was flashing his screwdriver at the door on the other side of the long hall.

"You have a point" Rose grinned before a frown began to form. "Who are you, Rita?"

"Apart from my name I don't know anymore." she shrugged.

"No family?" She raised a brow. "Friends? Where did you live?" Rose questioned.

"My family died" Rita spoke with no emotion. "Never properly knew my mum and dad, never knew if I had any aunts or uncles, not even a gran. I have no family, just me"

"You're all alone" Rose mumbled.

"I know how you feel" the girls looked up to see the Doctor standing there with his hands in the pockets of his long brown coat.

Rita continued not replying to the Doctor, she knew what he had been, though, what he will go through and there was nothing she could do. "I have some friends" Rita smiled sadly at Rose before saying: "They all have family's and other friends, though, sure they are there for me but no in the long run" Rita looked at Rose and saw the sadness in her eyes, Rita saw this look before from Rose somewhere.

"I'm sorry Rita, I shouldn't have asked" the blonde looked at the floor ashamed, Rita just gave a sad smiled before looking up at the Doctor who gave her the exact same look Rose did moments before: sadness.

"Come on you two we best get out of here" the Doctor became his usual cheery self and smiled at the girls who both nodded at him.

"So what's the plan?" Rose asked as all walked down the hall in a line heading for the door.

"He doesn't have one" Rita chuckled.

"I do have a plan" the Doctor scoffed and rolled his eyes at Rita.

"What is it then?" Rita raised her eyebrows waiting.

"Ok I don't have have a plan" the Doctor rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "But I do have an idea" he grinned at them both before opening the door which he soniced earlier during Rose and Rita's chat.

"Doctor!" Rose screamed noticing a Dalek only meters away.

"Oh hello," he grinned at the Dalek and then turned to the girls "run!" He shouted grabbing both of their hands and pulling them.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!" It screamed a moment after the Doctor pulled Rita and Rose behind a wall.

"What now?" Rose whispered in fear frantically looking around.

"Doctor" Rita mumbled staring at what couldn't possibly be the TARDIS

"What-" he turned to see the TARDIS and then grinned at Rita who then smiled back the Doctor took Rita and Rose's hands again and ran towards the TARDIS.

"What about the Daleks?" Rose asked while sprinting for the blue box.

"They pulled the TARDIS here, don't know why don't really want to know why since they insisted on killing us" he spoke before skidding to a stop and opening the TARDIS. The Doctor allowed Rose in first and then held the door open for Rita as well.

Upon entering the TARDIS it was everything Rita had dreamed of and hoped for when watching the show, much bigger than expected on the inside and definitely cooler.

After allowing Rita to looked around and let it sink in the Doctor then spoke, "Welcome to-"

"The TARDIS" Rita beamed making the Doctor blink a few times slightly confused as to how she knew the TARDIS' name.

"How do you-" The Doctor was then cut off

"I told you, I know parts of your life" Rita smiled slightly at the Doctor and then Rose who was leaning on the console. "Where I'm from" Rita started. "There is this show, very good show" she nodded to herself while the Doctor crossed his arms and leant on one of the beams closely listening to Rita "It's about your life" she pointed to the Doctor "Rose you're there too" she then pointed to the blonde

"Doctor?" Rose frowned "What does Rita mean"

"But that's impossible" he mumbled. "A show about my life" his eyes then widened in horror. Rita then chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"It's the truth, I don't know how I got here, I remember nothing except being in my apartment changing the light bulb and then being in a Dalek ship" the girl sighed. "It's not even an episode" she mumbled.

"Maybe you forgot" Rose raised a brow and walked over to Rita.

"No that's impossible" Rita frowned "I know every episode of this Doctor, everyone" Rita smiled proudly. The Doctor looked at Rita with confusion and wonder. _Who are you Rita Stone?_ He thought to himself before moving from the beam to the console. Rose could tell that the Doctor was very confused about Rita almost as much as Rose was herself, the brunette seemed friendly but they had only just met her on a Dalek ship.

The Doctor then started to fiddle with the console. The TARDIS then started to dematerialise.

"Doctor I'm going to go to my room" Rose announced and then walked off towards a hall in the TARDIS. The Doctor could see what she was doing and nodded to her as she left the Doctor and Rita alone. Questions on both sides could now be answered.


	2. New Earth

The Doctor slowly walked around the TARDIS and fiddled with the console before leaning against it and frowning at Rita. _Who are you?_ He thought to himself as he watched her stare at the TARDIS in wonder like an innocent child the Doctor trusted her for some reason as if he actually knew her and he didn't know why. "Rita?" He spoke for the first time breaking the silence since Rose had left when he was thinking about who Rita was.

"Yes Doctor" she turned to him still standing near the doors of the TARDIS

"Who are you?" He frowned. "Not like who are you because I know your name is Rita Stone and that your human, but who are you?"

"What do you mean?" Rita frowned and walked up to the console.

"So I and Rose get dragged halfway across time and space into the Dalek ship the TARDIS is almost stolen by the Daleks and then we find you, an innocent girl lying peacefully on the floor in the Dalek ship" the Doctor frowned and then added: "you knew about the programme, how?"

"The TV show" Rita answered. I don't know how I got here Doctor, I don't know how or why I am here but I am" Rita shrugged. Satisfied with her answer, for now, the Doctor nodded. "Rose?" He called as he turned some knobs on the console and pressed some buttons, he saw the blonde poke her head in the console room. "Looks like Rita is going to be with us for a while, if you want" he added looking over at the brunette who smiled grinning at the Doctor in agreement.

Rose then called out and smiled "fine by me" she chuckled.

"After all that running and Daleks and stuff I'm so tired at the moment so if I'm staying I guess I need somewhere to sleep." Rita yawned "No way am I sleeping on the floor" she joked.

"No you're not" the Doctor agreed. "The TARDIS made a room for you. Down that hall, first on the left" He pointed in a direction. "Should have everything you need. Rita nodded a thank you and then walked away from the two feeling way too tired to continue on with the day.

Rita had stayed with the Doctor and Rose in the TARDIS for about a week now, she had a few tests done on her due to the Doctor not understanding who she was or how she managed to get on the Dalek ship. She had explained as much as she could to the two as well as told them what she deemed 'interesting' about her life as well as learned a little more about Rose than she already knew, the Doctor being himself kept quiet, Rita understood why and fully respected that. He wouldn't let her leave the TARDIS and wouldn't leave the TARDIS with her. After feeling satisfied with her health and safety as well as Rose's, his own and the TARDIS safety he decided that the test results were ok and Rita wasn't anything but human. Finally, the adventures could begin.

"So where are we going?" said Rose leaning against the TARDIS

"Further than we've ever gone before" the Doctor grinned at both Rita and Rose before flipping a switch hearing the TARDIS dematerialise in the sky. "And finally welcome aboard Miss Stone" the Doctor smirked as they all gripped onto the console travelling through the vortex.

"Where are we," Rita asked stepping out of the TARDIS grinning madly as she then realised where she was watching the high tech cars fly in the sky.

"It's the year five billion and twenty-three." The Doctor spoke while stepping out of the TARDIS himself "We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth."

Rose laughed "That's just. That's just" Rita then started to laugh along with Rose who was also speechless herself.  
"This is beautiful" Rita spoke between laughter.

"Not bad. Not bad at all." The Doctor smiled at them both and chuckled a little while they watched the cars fly over their heads towards New New York.

"That's amazing." Rose chuckled "I'll never get used to this. Never. The different ground beneath my feet," Rose then began to jump up and down "different sky. What's that smell?" She then stopped.

The Doctor and Rita sniffed the air "smells like" Rita frowned and sniff again "apples?"

"Apple grass" the Doctor states.

"Apple grass" Rose chuckled.

"Feels like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" Rita joked causing the Doctor and Rose to give out a small laugh.

"It's beautiful." Rose said in awe while Rita nodded in agreement "Oh, I love this. Can I just say, travelling with you, I love it." Rose smiled at the Doctor "all the planets I have seen, it's amazing, Rita you should have seen them" Rose turned to the brunette and smiled her eyes sparkling

The Doctor and Rose were sat relaxing on his coat while Rita stayed with the TARDIS leaning against it, smiling and thinking to herself.

"So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted" The Doctor spoke watching the city in the distance.

"What a lovely thought" Rita joked as she joined the two, sitting on the grass and just enjoying the company of her two newest friends.

"That was our first date." Rose smiled turning to the Doctor.

"We had chips." The Doctor grinned "So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust," he explained "but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars." He turned between Rita and Rose "Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement, but then find this place. Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in."

"So we just take the planet?" Rita asked.

"Pretty much"

"Sounds like us humans" Rose turned to Rita as they both laughed. "What's the city called?" She then asked.

"New New York."

"Would have thought they would have come up with a better name instead of just placing the same word twice" Rita laughed.

"Oh, come on." Rose rolled her eyes at the Doctor not believing him.

"It is." He turned to Rita to help who just shook her head at him. "It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." Rita and Rose then both rolled their eyes and stood up. "What?"

"You're so different," They both said at the same time and then blinked at each other.

"New new Doctor" the Doctor piped up.

 _Technically it's new new new new new new new new new new Doctor_ Rita thought to herself and smile at her joke.

"What's so funny then?" The Doctor looked up and frowned at Rita.

"Thought of something funny"

"And what was that?" He raised a brow at Rita. Rose then did the same

"Never mind" Rita mumbled shaking her head.

"Can we go and visit New New York, so good they named it twice?"  
"Technically it's fifteen" Rita smiled smugly.

"Well, I thought we might go there first." The Doctor stood up as well and pointed to the skyscrapers in the distance.

"Why, what is it?" Rose turned to the Doctor.

"It's a hospital" Rita answered for the Doctor.

"Umm yeah," he nodded taken back by how Rita actually knew.

"You look confused Doctor" Rita teased knowing fully well that he had forgotten about her 'talent' which he claimed it to now be in his mind.

"Oh ha ha" he rolled his eyes remembering. "Anyways, Green moon on the side. That's the universal symbol for hospitals. I got this." He picked up his long coat and took the psychic paper out of a pocket "A message on the psychic paper."  
He showed Rita and Rose the psychic paper which wrote the words 'Ward 26 Please Come' "Someone wants to see me."

"And I thought we were just sight-seeing." Rose shook her head.

"Sight-seeing with the Doctor? Impossible it's like he has a device strapped to him alerting anyone nearly with the message: I like trouble!" Rita joked causing Rose to laugh and the Doctor to chuckle and shake his head.

"Come on, then. Let's go and buy some grapes. Rose also shook her head as the three headed off.

"Bit rich coming from you." The trio walked into the Hospital.

"I have to side with Rose this time sorry Doctor" Rita patted his shoulder.

"I can't help it." He looked at both girls "I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps."

"Says the guy who calls himself 'the Doctor' " Rita raised her eyebrows at him and slyly grinned.

"Rita has a point" Rose agreed.

A speaker then diverted the attention of the trio away from the subject of the Doctors name 'The Pleasure Gardens will now take visitors carrying green or blue identification cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted.'

"Very smart." Rose nodded "Not exactly NHS."

"What's the NHS like for you then?" Rita asked.

"Different to this"

"Way different to mine" Rita chuckled.

"No shop. I like the little shop." The Doctor thought out loud.

"And there he goes about the shops" Rita rolled her eyes

"Hey" he pouted "Always good to have a little shop"

"If you say so" Rita rolled her eyes again.

"I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything." Rose frowned at the Doctor a little confused.

"Oh Rose" Rita patted the blonde's shoulder and smiled.

"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war."

"Exactly" Rita grinned.

"You're enjoying this way too much Rita" the Doctor shook his head.

"I'm sorry Doctor," Rita said sarcastically. "When you suddenly are on your favourite TV show you get a little excited" Rita grinned.

"Oh, so I'm your favourite TV show?" He raised a brow placing his hands into his long coat pockets.

"Don't push it mister" Rita chuckled.

"They're cats." Rose watched in disbelief as one of the nurses walked passed.

"Now, don't stare. Think what you look like to them, all pink and yellow." The Doctor watched as the nurse walked away.

"Nurse nun cats" Rita shook her head. "Never thought I would see or say that without making a reference"

"That's where I'd put the shop. Right there." He pointed to the corner of the Hospital entrance.

"You and your shops" Rita muttered as she followed the Doctor.

Rita then suddenly remembered and pretended to trip while pushing Rose and grabbing her phone out of her pocket as well as knocking her into the Doctor, who was currently standing in the lift.

Rita then pretended to run in after the Doctor and Rose knowing fully well that she wouldn't be able to catch up in time.

"Oh, too late. We're going up." The Doctor shrugged.

"Rita!" The Doctor shouted, "watch out for the disinfectant."

"For the disinfectant" Rita mumbled along at the same time as he said it. "Yeah, yeah I know. That isn't the first priority Doctor" Rita rolled her eyes mumbling to herself

"I think she pushed me" Rose mumbled, frowning at the Doctor.

"Now why would she do that?" The Doctor frowned back. Rose shrugged unable to answer that question.

Rita then stepped into the 2nd lift and sighed knowing what was about to come. "Ward 26, though," Rita said not that it would actually take her there.

Rita then took off her black jacket which she was wearing and hung it up out of the way she also ripped her shoes off of her feet and placed them out the way as well a moment before the warning for the disinfectant through the lift speaker: "Commence stage one disinfection" That was lucky Rita thought. No way they were getting drenched dryer or not.

The disinfectant had finally finished, Rita was just putting her shoes back on when the doors to the lift opened. "Here goes nothing" Rita sighed walking out the lift to see Chip standing waiting for Rose.

"The human child is clean." Chip smiled while Rita rolled her eyes. Well done you know how the disinfectant works she thought and then rolled her eyes knowing it really wasn't Chips fault.

"Ward 26?" Rita questions and raised a brow while acting like she was confused.

"This way, Rose Tyler" Chip spoke and then turned around. Rita sighed. She knew she could possibly help the poor Cassandra and Chip but the plot had to continue, Rita could only alter so much. Nevertheless she carfully follow Chip. Rita noticed the film from years and years ago back when Cassandra actually was a 'normal' person and not a piece of skin with a mouth and eyes on some metal poles.

"Nice place." The Doctor looked around Ward 26 and then turned back to the nurce "No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one. Just a shop, so people can shop." Rose rolled her eyes 'Rita was right about the Doctor and his bloody shops.' She thought. The nurce then slowly removed her veil.

The nurse then spoke, "The hospital is a place of healing." She then added in an offended tone "Not for... shopping"

The Doctor pursed his lips "A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people."

"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help and to mend" The nurse spoke while the trio slowly began to walk though the ward. The ward was mainly all white, there were a few more nurses standing around next to patients.

"Excuse me!" A woman spoke while the Doctor was looking at a patient who was a slightly overweight man with grey skin. "Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the Senate of New New York." The woman huffed at the Doctor and Rose.

"That's Petrifold Regression, right?" The Doctor looked at the nurse and the woman while Rose frowned at the Doctor confused with what that actually meant.

"I'm dying, sir. A lifetime of charity and abstinence and it ends like this."

"I'm sorry" the Doctors face fell.

The woman then spoke once again and narrowed her eyes slightly at the Doctor and Rose. "Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance."

The Doctor nodded in understanding. "Frau Clovis! I'm so weak." The Duke sighed and then coughed a little.

"Sister Jatt. A little privacy, please." The woman named Frau Clovis turned and rushed back, standing beside the Duke.

"He'll be up and about in no time." The nurse smiled at Rose and the Doctor.

"But he said he was dying?" Rose frowned.

"I doubt it. Sister Jatt," The Doctor looked at the nurse abd continued to explain "Petrifold Regression?" The Doctor frowned "He's turning to stone. There won't be a cure for oh, a thousand years? He might be up and about, but only as a statue" The Doctor added.

"Have faith in the Sisterhood." Sister Jatt smiled and then frowned "But is there no one here you recognise? It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient."

"Yeah" Rose agreed with the cat. "How will we know who it is Doctor?" The blonde looked up and asked.

"I think we've found him." The Doctor turned to see a rather large face in a sort of tank in the corner of the machine. The face looked in pain yet peaceful and certainly old.

"Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman and his friend in your care?" Sister Jatt turned to another one of the cat, nurse nuns.

"Certainly" Hame nodded. The cat walked over to where the Doctor and Rose were both standing just outside the Dukes closed curtain.

"Oh, I think our friend got lost. Rita Stone. Brunette and just a little shorter than Rose. Could you ask at reception?" He described Rita, then smiled at Jatt and Rose.

"Certainly, sir." The cat nodded and then walked away while the Doctor and Rose followed Hame.

"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep." Hame smiled sadly. "That's all he tends to do these days. Are you friends, or?"

"We met just the once on Platform One." The Doctor then added: "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm so sorry" Hame slowly shook her head. Rose turned to the Doctor with an unreadable expression.

"I thought you knew." She sighed. Rose slowly walked over and placed a hand on Hames' shoulder while sadly smiling at the nurse. "The Face of Boe is dying. " Hame looked at the Doctor and Rose.

"Why?" Rose asked before adding: "whats wrong with him?"

"He's dying of old age." Hame looked at The Face of Boe. "The one thing we can't cure." She sighed "He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible." Hame chuckled slightly. Rose then smiled at the Doctor.

"Oh, I don't know." The Doctor also chuckled "I like impossible." He grinned at Rose, turned back towards The Face of Boe and then gently placed a hand on the tank "I'm here. So is Rose. I look a bit different, but it's me, It's the Doctor." He spoke gently as if he was a young child.

"Peekaboo!" Rita turned and saw the flap of skin attached to the metal wire. "Wait a minute" her lips pursed. "You're not Rose Tyler?" Cassandra spat the blondes name.

"Oh my god" Rita faked a gasp and covered her mouth. "You have eyes!"

"Who are you child and how did you get here?"

"That's not important Cassandra, but if you must know. I used the lift" Rita made a smug grin.

"Hmm, I didn't see you with Rose" she sighed. "Guess you will have to do, though"

"Don't you even think about it Cassandra I know what you're planning" Rita raised her brows at the piece of stretched flesh.

"What do you think I'm going to do Flap you to death?" She joked.

"Didn't take you as the comedic type Cassandra, and no I know you have a psychograft which I know is illegal, you want me to back away to run to the cats and then you will get my body"

"How do you know that?" Cassandra blinked in disbelief.

"Secrets" Rita grinned. "Anyway it's not going to happen"

"Don't be so sure of that brunette," Cassandra said. "Chip now!" She shouted. at her forced grown clone.

Before Rita had time to react she was suddenly forced back by a strong push from the clone. She stumbled back and the psychograft was activated keeping her from moving. "Cassandra!" Rita shouted. "The Doctor can help you!"

"I don't need help honey" Cassandra laughed. "The lady's moving on. It's goodbye trampoline, and hello brunette."

Rita could then feel herself becoming trapped and squeezed inside her own head. Everything hurt and felt like she was being burnt alive for a few moments. She then became extremely claustrophobic.

"Mistress?" Chip slowly walked over to Rita's body which was now taken over by Cassandra.

"Moisturise me." 'Rita' said "How bizarre." She mumbled "Arms, fingers, hair! Let me see! Let me see!" She jumped up and down like an excited child while Chip brought over a mirror "Oh my God. I'm literally a child! A tiny small child. That's disgusting "

 _'Says the one who was a piece of skin from her butt and jumping up and down like it's bloody Christmas. Also, I'm 19!'_ Rita thought and mentally smacked the woman.

"How the hell are you doing that?" Cassandra asked eyes wide in shock.

 _'I don't know, I just am'_ Rita snapped not liking the current arrangments.

"hmm, Cassandra hummed looking at Rita's body in a mirror. "That's disgusting" she wrinkled Rita's nose and then took off the leather jacket and threw it on the floor.

 _'Hey, I actually liked that jacket!'_ Rita snapped at the woman who rolled her eyes.

"My body now, my rules" Cassandra snapped back while continuing to examine Rita's body. "Not the best but it will do" She sighed.

"The mistress is beautiful." Chip smiled at Cassandra.

"Absolutement! Oh, but look." Cassandra looked over to what was now just a metal frame and a dead brain.

"Oh, the brain lead expired. My old mistress is gone" He sighed again.

"But safe and sound in here" Cassandra grinned at Chip and tapped Rita's head.

"But what of the child's mind?" Chip tilted his head and frowned.

"Oh, tucked away." Cassandra slyly grinned." I can just about access the surface memory." She said making Rita groan and sigh while mentally rolling her eyes "She's. Gosh, she's with the Doctor. A man. He's the Doctor. The same Doctor with a new face. That hypocrite!" Cassandra gasped "Although I do have to say, nice rear bumper. Hmm." Cassandra grinned again and turned her head towards the brunettes rear end.

 _"Did I ever mention that you are disgusting"_ Rita thought and mentally groaned at the woman.

'Rita' then jumped almost out of her skin. well, Rita's skin as the phone Rita had stolen from Rose when pushing her into the lift started to ring. "Oh, it seems to be ringing. Is it meant to ring?" 'Rita' frowned looking at Chip for some help.

 _"No you idiot its meant to sing. Of course, its meant to ring!"_ Rita practically shouted at Cassandra and mentally face palmed. She wasn't normally this angry and wouldn't usually result to calling people idiots unless for a joke but she was steaming right now Cassandra had just invaded her body and was attempting to show as much skin as she could which made Rita even angrier resulting in her becoming steaming.

"A primitive communications device." Chip informed 'Rita'

"Rita, where are you?" The Doctor spoke into a phone most likely at ward 26 with Rose now just after seeing The Face of Boe.

'Rita' Held the phone away and whispered to Chip: "How does she speak?"

"Try Old Earth Cockney" Chip smiled and nodded to 'Rita'

"Er, wotcha." Rita mentally groaned again. _'That is nothing like how I speak, and I technically do not live in London!'_ Cassandra just ignored comment as if it was never given.

"Where've you been?" He asked and then added, "How long does it take to get to Ward 26?" He turned to Rose who then shrugged at him not knowing what to say.

"I'm on my way, governor." 'Rita' smirked enjoying this way too much. Rita just mentally rolled her eyes knowing that if she kept up the comments like she was then she would no longer have any energy left and no doubt get squashed to death by Cassandra invading her body and mind.

"You'll never guess. Rose and I are with the Face of Boe." The Doctor exclaimed practically beaming into the phone. "Anyway, I'd better go. We'll See you in a minute, Rita." The Doctor then hung up the phone.


	3. New Earth - Two

**Sorry I haven't uploaded in a while. I have been super busy with exams that have finished just over two weeks ago as well as finding myself a job. (Still working on that hehe) Hope you enjoy the second part of New Earth!**

The Doctor placed the phone back down. "Somethings doesn't seem right with Rita" He mumbled looking at Rose and frowning trying to think. "I know we don't really know her yet but she definitely isn't acting like she was earlier" He sighed looking at Rose for her input.

"It's probably just being on a new planet" She rolled her eyes at the Doctor. "You always overthink things.

"Someone has to" He smirked and then walked away noticing the Duke looked much better.

"Didn't think I was going to make it." The Doctor heard the Duke speaking to Clovis. "It's that man again!" He beamed at the Doctor and then Rose "He's my good luck charm." The Duke patted Clovis' arm and then waved to the Doctor and Rose "Come in. Don't be shy."

"Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract," Clovis added, smiling to the Doctor and Rose clearly a lot happier that the Duke was somehow much better.

"Winch me up. Up!" The Duke ordered Clovis and then smiled at the Doctor and Rose once again. While Clovis pressed a button on a remote causing his bed to slowly move upright. "Look at me. No sign of infection." He showed his arms to the Doctor and Rose who were both frowning rather confused.

"Champagne, sir? Ma, am?"

"No, thanks" the Doctor replied as they both shook their heads at the waiter who had a few glasses of drinks on a tray. The Doctor then turned to the Duke and continued to frown once more.

"You had Petrifold Regression, right?" He asked looking at the Duke's arms and then the solution hooked up to the Duke.

"That being the operative word. Past tense. Completely cured." The Duke chuckled slightly at the Doctor and Rose.

"But that's impossible." The Doctor mumbled and turned to Rose wondering what she thought of the situation.

"I thought you liked impossible?" She crossed her arms, raised a brow and smirked. The Doctor then smirked back at Rose.

One of the cat nurses walked over "Primitive species would accuse us of magic, but it's merely the tender application of science."

"How on Earth did you cure him?" The Doctor turned around to face the nurse cat, with Rose just behind him.

"How on New Earth, you might say." The Nurse grinned ignoring his question.

"What's in that solution?" The Doctor moved his eyes back up to the solution still connected to the Duke and then back to the nurse waiting for an answer.

"A simple remedy" the nurse generalised her answer continuing to grin.

"Then tell me what it is." said the Doctor raised his eyebrows.

'"I'm sorry. Patient confidentiality." the nurse slightly narrowed her eyes "I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp." Matron nodded slightly at the pair.

"I'm the Doctor and this is Rose" he smiled while Rose waved at the cat.

"I think you'll find that we're the doctors here," Matron said closely watching the Doctor and Rose.

Jatt poked her head between Matron and the Doctor "Matron Casp, you're needed in Intensive Care"

"If you would excuse me" Matron nodded to Rose and the Doctor, then turned walking away with Jatt as the Doctor watched the pair closely unable to hear what they were saying.

"This Doctor man is dangerous" Chip had a concerned and worried expression on his face. He honestly cared for this woman so much. Rita felt sorry for him knowing the short life he had and what happens at the end of the episode.

"Dangerous and clever." Cassandra flipped Rita's hair and stood back up not taking her eyes off the mirror. "I might need a mind like his. The Sisterhood is up to something." she continued to mess with Rita's hair before turning to Chip "Remember that Old Earth saying, never trust a Nun? Never trust a Nurse. And never trust a cat."

'Rita' then walked away from the mirror and towards Chip, placing out her hand "Perfume?" Chip handed her a small bottle without saying a word and tucked it in Rita's cleavage. _'Watch it flappy'_ Rita snapped not as much as she would have if she wasn't getting mentally squished inside her own head. Cassandra ignored the girl turning and exiting the basement.

The Doctor turns around after walking around all the hospital cubicles in ward 26 and spots 'Rita walking in "There you are." He smiles not noticing a single thing wrong. Rose then turned around and her eyes practically fell out her skull. Rita's top was revealing a little too much and her hair didn't look the way it did when the trio entered the hospital. "Come and look at this patient." The Doctor pulled 'Rita' over to a man and looked over to him while explaining. "Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it." He then turned to Rose as well who was still staring at 'Rita' eyes wide. "They've invented a cell washing cascade. It's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced. And this one." The Doctor then walked over to another cubical. "Pallidome Pancrosis." The Doctor said to both the girls "Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine." The Doctor waved to the man whose skin was the same as his hospital gown. Perfectly white. "I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this. Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why is it such a secret?"

"I can't Adam and Eve it" 'Rita' spoke definitely not in her normal voice.

"What's," The Doctor frowned "what's. what's with the voice?"

"Oh, I don't know." 'Rita' spoke in the stupid voice again making the real Rita who was trapped inside her own head groan since that was all she could basically do at the moment due to feeling so tired "Just larking about. New Earth, new me." She finished.

"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor." He grinned. Rose watched the pair closely not really liking the way 'Rita' was reacting and acting. From as little as she knew (which really wasn't a lot since she had only met the girl) this was definitely not the way the girl 'normally' acted at all.

 _'Don't. You. Even. Dare. Do It. Cassandra.'_ Rita managed to gain the strength to actually think a few seconds before 'Rita' grabbed behind the Doctors head and pulled him in for a longingly deep kiss. Rita definitely did not enjoy this at all. Sure she literally adored the Doctor but that was when this was all just a TV show. Rita would have been just as shocked as Rose with her eyes wide and mouth gapped open if Cassandra controlling the now shaken girl's body and shoving her tongue down the poor invaded Doctors throat.

The Doctor had gone into a form of shock not moving or ripping Rita away from him. The man simply froze, powerless and not making any form of attempt to remove Rita's tongue which was now being controlled by Cassandra away from his mouth.

After a few more moments of Rose staring wide eyed in shock 'Rita' pulled away and breathed deeply blinking a few times as well as rubbing the back of her neck. "Terminal's this way. Phew." 'Rita' slowly walked away not looking back and walking past a still wide-eyed gaping Rose who just watched the girl pass and then turned to the Doctor her face still fixed in the same expression.

"we-" The Doctor stuttered "well" before rubbing the back of his own neck and looking at Rose who still had the same expression no doubt scared by what she had just witnessed. "We better go" The Doctor mumbled looking at the ground and following 'Rita' while the real Rita mentally groaned.

"Nope, nothing odd." The Doctor frowned "Surgery, post-op, nano-dentistry. No sign of a shop. They should have a shop." He mumbled.

"Will you stop with the shop" Rose gritted her teeth and whispers to the Doctor just loud enough for only him to hear. "Honestly we have bigger problems" She used her head and jerked it in the direction of 'Rita' who was looking at the computer terminal too interested to be paying attention to the pair.

"I don't see anything wrong?" The Doctor whispers back raising a brow and watching 'Rita'

"Men" Rose mumbled rolling her eyes.

"It's missing something else." 'Rita' thought out loud and then turned to the Doctor ignoring Rose's presents "When I was downstairs, those Nurse Cat Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it?"

"You're right. Well done." The Doctor grinned.

"Why would they hide a whole department?" 'Rita' looked at the Doctor and asked, "It's got to be there somewhere." She thought for a moment "Search the sub-frame." 'Rita' basically ordered the Doctor. Rose rolled her eyes at the two clearly a little annoyed. Whether it was due to 'Rita' basically shoving Rose out and ignoring her or the kiss with the Doctor, Rose was angry. The real Rita was upset and genuinely sorry for the poor girl. She only hoped that the blonde wouls understand and forgive her later.

"What if the subframe's locked?" The Doctor turned to Rita and then Rose giving the girl a sad smile trying to indicate to the girl that he knew something was wrong and that they would get Rita back. However Rose didn't notice this at all.

"Try the installation protocol" 'Rita' ordered the Doctor yet again.

"Yeah. Of course." He nodded at Rita and then glanced at Rose who was closely watching her friend. "Sorry. Hold on." The Doctor brought out his Sonic Screwdriver from the inside of his long brown coat and proceeded to sonic the computer terminal. "Intensive Care." He mumbled and watched a large door to the side of the trio slide open. "Certainly looks intensive." He turned to the girls to follow then walked into the entrance.

The trio walked down the stairs and entered a hallway with hundreds of human-sized green pods attached to the wall on the right. The wall curved. There was a railing on the left-hand side showing a hole which then showed millions of other pods below and opposite the three. "What are they?" Rose looked at the Doctor and asked.

"Some kind of pods" he stated the obvious and walked over to one of the green pods. The Doctor soniced the pod and slowly opened the door to reveal a man with boils and scars all over his body.

"That's disgusting." 'Rita' held a hand to her mouth gasping Rose looked over at the brunette wide-eyed and shocked not able to believe what she just said. 'Rita' quickly corrected herself noticing the blonde glancing at her. "What's wrong with him?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor mumbled looking at the man with sympathy. He then closed the door and moved on to the next pod. Opening the door a young woman was inside in the exact same position as the man. Scars and boils all over her skin, her face looked tired and empty.

"Doctor what's wrong with him?" Rose looked at the woman who didn't actually look much older than she was, sadly knowing whatever was wrong with these people was definitely not good.

"What disease is that?" 'Rita' looked at the woman horrified and disgusted.

"All of them." The Doctor said coldly "Every single disease in the galaxy. They've been infected with everything."

"Oh my god" Rose gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth in shock.

"What about us? Are we safe?" Rose narrowed her eyes at 'Rita' annoyed with how much she was caring about only herself.

"The air's sterile." The Doctor looked around the pod for the final time. "Just don't touch them" he said and then closed the door sympathy for these people taking being the only expression on his face.

"How many patients are there?" 'Rita' questioned.

'All you care about is yourself Cassandra' Rita grumbled in a thought.

"Rita these people." Rose pointed to the pods. "I don't think their patiences"

"Rose is right" the Doctor nodded. "They're not patients"

"But they're sick?" 'Rita' counted frowning confused.

"They were born sick. They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick." He looked at both Rita and Rose "Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything." The Doctor said though gritted teeth. "They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm."

"Why don't they just die?" 'Rita' questioned as if their life was not worth living to possibly be saved.

"Rita!" Rose spat at the girl and crossed her arms.

"Plague carriers." He mumbled looking over at Rose who then uncrossed her arm and nodded at the Doctors silent message "The last to go"

"It's for the greater cause." The trio whipped their heads around to see the cat nurse Hame standing in the way of the exit.

"Novice Hame, When you took your vows, did you agree to this?" The Doctor stepped at little closer to the cat staring at her darkly.

"The Sisterhood has sworn to help." The cat denied agreeing or disagreeing with what these people were being created for.

"What, by killing?" Rose piped up also staring at the cat mostly in horror and being ashamed of the cat.

"But they're not real people," Hame spoke calmly as if what she was saying was actually true. "They're specially grown. They have no proper existence."The Doctor was now fuming, his brows fixed in a frown and his eyes burning with anger.

"What's the turnover, hmm?" He spoke darkly his voice getting louder with each question. "Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousands? For how many years?" He growled at the cat before shouting "How many!"

"Mankind needed us." The cat didn't look fazed by the Doctors shouting at all. "They came to this planet with so many illnesses." she looked between the three with slight pity "We couldn't cope. We did try." she nodded "We tried everything. We tried using clone meat and bio-cattle, but the results were too slow, so the Sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are. Flesh."

"But there not just flesh!" Rose started to sob the Doctor looked at the girl sadly and placed an arm over her shoulder in comfort.

"These people are alive." The Doctor looked up from Rose with sadness and sorrow, he turned to Hame his face changing into his brows being drawn and his brown eyes full of sadness changed into eyes of anger.

"But think of those Humans out there, healthy and happy, because of us." Hame tried to convince the Doctor but he wasn't budging to feel sorry for the cat for all what it has done day by day for goodness knows how many years.

He looked down at Rose who was still now sobbing quietly turned to him not being able to face the cat nurse for what she had let been done. "If they live because of this, then life is worthless." he said turning to 'Rita' who didn't look fazed by the subject at hand at all.

"But who are you to decide that?" Hame asked.

"I'm the Doctor." he gently dropped his arm off of Rose who was now just sniffling every once in a while. "And if you don't like it," he stepped closer to Hame "if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me." he warned the cat piercing his eyes into hers showing the true anger he was currently feeling.

"Just to confirm." 'Rita' popped up behind Rose 'Ughhhh' Rita thought not able to really say much else. "None of the humans in the city actually know about this?" she asked. Rose then turned around her hands becoming balls of fists the Doctor walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Now Hold on." he turned back to Hame "I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows." he continued to walk towards the cat. "One thing I can't understand. What have you done to Rita?" he pointed at the brunette.

"I don't know what you mean?" Hame tilted her head and stared at 'Rita' who was looking at the Doctor just as confused.

"And I'm being very, very calm." he spoke through gritted teeth "You want to be aware of that. Very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing." the Doctor raised his eyebrows and continued to talk through the grit of his own teeth "Whatever you've done to Rita's head, I want it reversed."

"We haven't done anything." Hame denied all knowledge of this.

"Doctor I think she's telling the truth." Rose defended the cat who then looked at her and sighed. "This doesn't mean I'm not upset" Rose added.

"I'm perfectly fine." 'Rita' slowly walked up to the Doctor and placed a hand on his chest next to his tie.

"These people are dying, and I know Rita would care." He frowned looking down at what 'Rita' was doing while being slightly uncomfortable by the closeness.

"Oh, all right, clever clogs." 'Rita' pulled out his tie the Doctor frowned and leant away slightly "Smarty pants. Lady-killer." she then purred.

"What's happened to you?" The Doctor leant away some more looking Rita up and down, his tie still in her grasp

'Rita' then sighed. "I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed her body" she pointed to Rose "and your mind to find it out. But since this girl obviously knows you her body will have to do. Must better than Rose" 'Rita' then pointed to the blonde who rolled her eyes.

"Who are you?" He frowned still confused.

'Rita' let do of the man's tie and leant next to his ear and whispered: "The last human."

"Cassandra?" He stepped away yet again.

"Wake up and smell the perfume." She grinned ditching the terrible accent and taking the small bottle out of Rita's cleavage and spraying it at the Doctor and then swiftly turning to Rose and spraying it at her.

"You've hurt them." Hame gasped "I don't understand. I'll have to fetch Matron."

"You do that," 'Rita' ordered turning to the cat "because I want to see her." She chuckled "Now, run along." She watched the cat scurry away "Sound the alarm!" She shouted turning to a bunch of power cables, messing with them activating the alarms.


	4. New Earth - Three

The Doctor started coming to after being knocked out by Cassandra in Rita's body. His vision was a little blurry for a few moments but he was ok. Then he noticed where he was. "Let us out! Let us out" He started to bang on the inside of the green pod door.

"Aren't you two lucky there was two spare? Standing room only" The Doctor could just about see the outline of Rita's body outside of the pod.

"Doctor!" Rose screamed she must have woken up.

"You've stolen Rita's body." The Doctor stated.

"Over the years, I've thought of a thousand ways to kill you, Doctor." Cassandra laughed a little "And now, that's exactly what I've got. One thousand diseases. They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes." She looked at her wrist pretending there was a watch there. "You've got about three minutes left. Enjoy."

"Just let Rose and Rita go, Cassandra." "Rose? ha no, the brunette I will." Cassandra laughed "As soon as I've found someone less common, then I'll junk her with the waste. Now hushaby. It's showtime." Cassandra then walked away from the pod slowly disfiguring Rita's shape.

"Anything we can do to help?" Jatt and Matron walked down the walk way.

"Straight to the point, Whiskers." Cassandra mocked the cats "I want money."

"The Sisterhood is a charity. We don't give money. We only accept." Casp explained to Cassandra who proceeded to roll her eyes quite bored of the cats.

"The humans across the water pay you a fortune, and that's exactly what I need." Cassandra crossed her arms "A one-off payment, that's all I want." she then thought for a moment "Oh, and perhaps a yacht. In return for which, I shall tell the city nothing of your institutional murder." Rita mentally slapped the woman for her uncaring nature. She knew that Cassandra definitely had a heart somewhere (even if it was no longer her original heart) but the woman had to find it herself which annoyed Rita as she wanted to help but was unable to do so with the amount of energy she had left as well as knowing that the 'episode' had to continue as normal "Is that a deal?" Cassandra asked the cats.

"I'm afraid not." Casp declined the offer like Rita knew she would even without watching the episode no one would be silly enough to fall for that sort of a plan.

"I'll tell them," Cassandra threatened. "and you've no way of stopping me. You're not exactly Nuns with Guns." 'Big mistake' Rita thought managing to gain some strength "You're not even armed." Cassandra scoffed ignored Rita's comment.

"Who needs arms when we have claws?" Matron unleashed her claws making Cassandra panic darting her eyes around the area before turning to Chip

"Well, nice try. Chip? Plan B" Chip then pulled a lever opening all of the pod doors on that level including the Doctor and Rose.

The Doctor jumps out of his pod and then helps Rose and next turning to Cassandra "What've you done?"

"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake them up." Cassandra turned and ran in the opposite direction "See you!"

The Doctor turned back to the cats, he pointed and shouted: "Don't touch them! Whatever you do, don't touch!" he then grabbed Rose's hand and Chased after Cassandra and Chip.

The Doctor and Rose follow Cassandra and Chip down the hall until hearing a scream and the doors on every single one of the other pods opening allowing all the people to roam free.

"Oh, my God." Cassandra gasped skidding to a stop just as the Doctor and Rose caught up.

"What the hell have you done?!" He shouted at her scanning the area for an escape.

"It wasn't me!" Cassandra cried out in panic as the people carrying every disease ever slowly walked closer and closer.

"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want that body safe, Cassandra." The Doctor shouted and then noticed the path to the stairs were free he grabbed Rose's hand again "We've got to go down!" He shouted at her while running over to the stairs.

"But there's thousands of them!" She cried out yet again.

"Run!" He ordered Cassandra and Chip down and then running down with Rose. "Down! Down! Go down!" The Doctor, Rose, Cassandra and Chip all ran down the stairs while the infected people followed. "

"Repeat, this building is under quarantine. No one may leave the premises. Repeat, no one may leave the premises" A voice though the speaker informed everyone while the group continued heading down the stairs.

"Keep going! Go down!" The Doctor told Cassandra and Chip knowing that Rose would most likely not object.

The group continue to travel down the stairs, the Doctor and Rose only a few stairs behind Cassandra and Chip. Cassandra then noticed a lift and started to run for it "No, the lifts have closed down." The Doctor stopped "That's the quarantine. Nothing's moving."

Cassandra frantically looked around trying to see another way hearing the people closely behind her. "This way!" She shouts pointing to the direction of what was her lair and then heading for it Cassandra ran ahead of the others only really caring about herself. The Doctor turns around to see Chip had stopped and started to panic as the infected people approach cutting off the exits and leaving him trapped

"Someone will touch him." The Doctor shouts as Cassandra continued to run.

"Leave him!" Cassandra shouted over her shoulder causing Rose to gasp in horror at how rude the woman was being "He's just a clone thing." She rolled her eyes at the blonde and then added: "He's only got a half life. Come on!" She ordered the pair to follow.

Chip slowly backed away and begged Cassandra "Mistress!" his face drained of colour as he watched the woman run in the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry," The Doctor reaches out an arm unable to help while Rose looked at the man with the pity Cassandra never had "We can't let her escape." She added her eyes watering with tears. Chip never deserved this even if he did help Cassandra take Rita's body he didn't deserve death. The pair turned and ran after Cassandra hearing Chips cries begging for his Mistress behind them.

The trio ran through an arch and entered Cassandra's lair the Doctor shutting the open door behind him. Cassandra headed straight for the back door not looking back at the pair or mourning after what definitely looked like Chips death. "We're trapped!" Cassandra gasped leaning against the back door that held some of the many infected humans behind it. "What am I going to do?!" She cried out. 'Always about yourself isn't it Cassandra?'

"I have had enough of you and you comments kid!" Cassandra shouted like a psycho. The Doctor and Rose frowned at the woman's screams. "All you do is comment about everything 'Cassandra you're so rude, 'Cassanda you're disgusting'" She huffed, the Doctor and Rose stared at her looking very confused.

"Rita?" Rose questioned in disbelieve stepping closer to the brunette.

"God she's so annoying, I have better things to worry about like getting the hell out of here" Cassandra rolled her eyes. Rita grinned or would have if she wasn't trapped in her own mind.

"Well, for starters," The Doctor stepped towards the woman and stood next to Rose "you're going to leave that body." he said darkly then pointed his sonic "That psychograft is banned on every civilised planet." He shouted, "You're compressing Rita to death." He shot daggers at the woman with his eyes.

"But I've got nowhere to go." Cassandra countered "My original skin's dead."

"Not my problem." The Doctor said sharply "You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out." He ordered before pointing his sonic screwdriver at Rita's body threatening and then darkly said: "Give her back to me."

"You asked for it." Cassandra rolled her eyes before breathing heavily and leaving Rita's body. Rose ran up to the brunette and caught her before she could fall to the floor.

"Oh god" Rita groaned holding her head to try and stop the agonising pain burning her.

"Where did she go?" Rose frowned helping Rita stand up.

"Take a guess" Rita rolled her eyes, pointing at the Doctor while getting pissed off at Cassandra.

"Oh, my." Cassandra who was in the Doctors body gasped "This is different." She looked down at the body she was occupying.

"Cassandra?" Rose frowned, narrowing her eyes.

"Goodness me, I'm a man." She ignored Rose, Rita rolled her eyes and tried to hold the smile slowly forming on her lips, even when her life was at risk and the Doctor was trapped inside his own mind she could not find this pretty entertaining "Yum. So many parts." Cassandra grinned at the pair before her "And hardly used." She raised her eyes up and down at them both making the pair wrinkle their noses "Oh, oh, two hearts!" Cassandra then gasped making the stupidest movement ever "Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!"

"You have had your fun now Cassandra, now leave him alone." Rita hissed at the woman having enough of her childish behaviour.

"Oo, he's slim," Cassandra looked down at the Doctors body slowly moving a hand down his side "and a little bit foxy." She grinned and raised her eyebrows up and down at the pair yet again. "You've thought so too." She began to walk over to Rita who proceeded to roll her eyes denying it all and not showing any emotion, Rose looked at the brunette trying not to laugh "I've been inside your head." Cassandra mocked "You've been looking. You like it."

"That's enough Cassandra" Rita growled at how stupid the woman was making her look. Rose would not let her live this down. Suddenly before Rose or Cassandra could make any comments the back door burst open allowing all of the infected people to walk right in.

"What do we do?" She looked at the pair wide-eyed in panic then proceeded to wack Rose's arm "What would he do?" She looked between the pair "The Doctor, what the hell would he do?" She screamed.

"Ladder, come on!" Rita ordered grabbing Rose's hand and headed for the ladder.

"Out the way! Blondie," She shoved Rose to the side "And you! Brunette" Rita groaned also being shoved to the side she rolled her eyes and thought: At least she wouldn't get him killed now Rita then let Rose head up the ladder next.

"Please, help us. Help." Rita could hear the begging of the people below who had begun to slowly climb the ladder chasing the trio.

"If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something." Rose continued the conversation after the outburst of infected people earlier.

"Yap, yap, yap. Just like that one" Cassandra pointed to Rita who groaned at her "God, it was tedious inside your head. Complaint city."

"Maybe you should just leave me and my friends alone then!" Rita shouted, Cassandra looked at the brunette in horror which made Rita feel guilty, she knew what Cassandra would do in the end and also felt bad because it felt like she was shouting at the Doctor and not Cassandra. "Sorry" she mumbled " But we're going to die if-" Rita jerked her head down to see Matron the nurse cat clawing at her red vans.

"Those were my favourite!" Rita shouted down at the cat. "Get off!"

"All our good work." Matron spat "All that healing. The good name of the Sisterhood. You have destroyed everything."

"It was never just healing Matron!" Rose shouted. "You created people to use as lab rats and then killed them!"

"Go and play with a ball of string," Cassandra added mocking Matron.

"Everywhere, disease." Matron argued ignoring Cassandra "This is the human world. Sickness!"

"Matron!" Rita gasped as one of the infected people reached up and grabbed Matron causing her entire body to suddenly burst out with boils. Matron screamed out and let go of the ladder as well as Rita crying out in pain, falling to her certain death.

"Move!" Rita shouted up at Cassandra darkly causing the woman to jump a little and scurry up the ladder. Rose looked down at Rita for a second her face soft and saddened Rita nodded up at Rose telling her she was ok before the pair climbed up after Cassandra. Just before the trio reached the exit they heard a voice on the speakers: _Maximum quarantine. Divert all shuttles._

"Damn it" Rita mumbled thinking to herself on what was going to happen next.

"Now what do we do?" Cassandra looked down at them both, still inside the Doctors body.

"You have to get out of him Cassandra, it's the only way," Rose told the woman.

"No way, I'm not going back in her, Complaint city" She gestured to Rita who groaned.

"Cassandra its either that or you open it with the Sonic Screwdriver and I don't see you figuring how to do that!" Rita spat up at the woman.

"You mean this thing?" Cassandra scrunched her face up and held the screwdriver as if it was a dirty sock.

"Yes she means that thing!" Rose shouted up.

"That Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts." Cassandra moaned "I have no idea what to do"

"I told you that you wouldn't know. Why does no one ever listen!" Rita grumbled. "You have to go back into me Cassandra the Doctor can open it. Do it!" Rita ordered.

"Hold on tight." Cassandra groaned. Rita braced herself and surely enough she began to feel compressed in her own mind yet again.

"I'm a kid yet again." Cassandra moaned

'I'm 19!'

"Yes, yes whatever" Cassandra waved Rita off "Now open it!" She looked up at the Doctor who was groaning and just getting used to being back in himself like normal.

"Not until you get out of her." The Doctor narrowed his eyes at her.

"We need the Doctor." Cassandra protested against him.

"I order you to leave her" He commanded

Cassandra breathed in and then entered the Doctors body yet again.

"Cassandra!" Rita shouted.

"No matter how difficult the situation, there is no need to shout." Cassandra rolled her eyes.

"Get out of him Cassandra only he can help!" Rose ignored her shouting up at the woman.

"But I can't go into her, he simply refuses, he isn't going to budge if I try you either" She gestured to Rose "He's so rude." She mumbled.

"Tell me about it" Rita muttered, "But that isn't the point!" Rita glared. "Get out of him! I don't care what you do, just do something!"

"Oh, I am so going to regret this" Cassandra had a disgusted look on her face. She then breathed out giving the Doctor his mind back for the last time and then entered the leading infected woman on the ladder.

"Oh, sweet lord." Cassandra gasped "I look disgusting!" She screamed in horror.

"Doctor now!" Rita shouted up, he nodded and soniced the lift door allowing them to exit. The Doctor climbed out and then helped Rose up and then turned to Rita who had just about got herself out, the Doctor grabbed her hand and helped her.

"Nice to have you back" He smiled at Rita.

"No, you don't," Cassandra muttered switching out of the woman and back into the brunette who then felt to the floor.

"That was your last warning, Cassandra!" The Doctor stared at her annoyed and angry at the selfish woman.

Cassandra ignored his warning and began to mumble. "Inside her head. They're so alone. They keep reaching out, just to hold us. All their lives and they've never been touched." She looked up at the Doctor and then looked at Rose guilt plastering her face. The Doctor offers her a hand not commenting on what she had just said, she accepted the hand and the trio started to walk through Ward 26.

"We're safe! We're safe! We're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look." The Doctor and Rose show there hands to Clovis who had charged at the trio with a metal stand ready to defend herself.

"Show me your skin!" She ordered. Cassandra grinned and took the opportunity to show every inch of skin possible that was deemed 'appropriate'.

"Look, clean. Look," The Doctor spoke and Rose showed her arms again "if we'd been touched, we'd be dead." The Doctor informed her. Clovis lowered the metal stand and breathed a deep sigh of relief. "So how's it going up here?" he asked. "What's the status?"

"There's nothing but silence from the other wards, "Clovis told the three as they started to walk. "I think we're the only ones left. And I've been trying to override the quarantine." Rose and the Doctor frowned at that.

'No you can't!' Rita thought with the little amount of energy she now had remaining.

"ooh, she doesn't like the sound of that" Cassandra shook Rita's head and tutted.

Clovis looked at the brunette confused at what she was babbling on about before continuing: "If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad."

"Rita's right, you can't do that." Rose nodded in agreement. "If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine."

"I am not dying in here," Clovis told them firmly

Neither of us will" Rose told her.

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out. There are ten million people in that city." The Doctor pointed in the direction of what he guessed was New New York. "They'd all be at risk. Now, turn that off!" He ordered Clovis

"Not if it gets me out." Clovis looked at the Doctor seriously.

"All right, fine." He turned around "So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me." He then turned to the rest of those in the ward "Rose, novice Hame, Rita, everyone! Excuse me, your Grace." He nodded at the Duke "Get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!" The Doctor ordered everyone while he himself colected up a long piece of what looked like heavy silk, attaching it to his body he then instructed the others to hand over the solutions and then begins to attach them to his body.

"How's that? Will that do?" The Doctor thought out loud.

"I don't know. Will it do for what?" Cassandra asked as the Doctor starts to walk away, she and Rose follow him over to one of the lifts which he soniced and the lift doors open he pokes his head out and looks down.

"The lifts aren't working," Cassandra stated the obvious while the Doctor was messing with the lift.

"Not moving. Different thing." He pointed out and then walks away from the lift "Rose stay here and make sure nothing gets in or out." The Doctor passed Rose who looks over at him and nodded, watching what he is about to do.

"But you're not going to-" Cassandra begins to ask before getting shocked by the Doctors actions.

"Here we go." He mumbles to himself and then turned around facing the lift head on before placing his sonic screwdriver between his teeth and running at full speed, launching himself, grabbing the lift cable and making sure he was secured so he would not fall.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Cassandra asked in shock running over to him Rose doesn't seem fazed by this at all and just grins, Cassandra then looks over at her grinning.

He removed the screwdriver from between his teeth to speak while attaching something to the cable "I'm going down! Come on!"

"Not in a million years! She protested "Plus why can't blondie?!"

"Rose" He corrected Cassandra "needs to stay up here and make sure these lot." He gestured to everyone in the ward "stay in and not try to leave or let anything in and I cannot trust you, Cassandra, no way are you leaving my sight in my friend's body, plus" he added again. "If you're so desperate to stay alive, why don't you live a little? " He finished his speech and raises his brows at her.

"Seal the door!" Cassandra and Rose heard Clovis speaking. Rose then rushed over to help and Cassandra saw the horror of the infected people again, knowing she would most likely be safer with the Doctor she jumped grabbing on to the Doctor to stop her falling to her death.

"You're completely mad." Cassandra gasped looking down wide-eyed "I can see why she likes you." She mumbled.

The Doctor ignored her comment and exclaimed: "Going down!" He allowed the wheel attached to the cables of the lift to drop down the shaft. Cassandra screamed in terror and the Doctor then screamed in joy clearly full of adrenaline.

"Well, that's one way to lose weight." Cassandra pointed out. "If she even had some" She looked down at Rita's body. "God she's almost as skinny as you" She raised her brows and chuckled at her own comment a little.

The Doctor ignored this and told the woman what she had to do. "Now, listen. When I say so, take hold of that lever." He pointed to the lever on top of the lift they had landed on.

"There's still a quarantine down there, we can't-" Cassandra began to speak before getting interrupted.

"Hold that lever! I'm cooking up a cocktail." The Doctor started to rip open the solution packets and pour the liquid in the lifts disinfectant tank. "I know a bit about medicine myself." he continued to pour all of the remaining liquid solutions in the tank. " Now, that lever's going to resist." He poured the final packet "But keep it in position. Hold onto it with everything you've got."

"What about you?" Cassandra asked holding the lever ready for the command. The Doctor then soniced the lift until the window about it opened allowing access.

"I've got an appointment." he then jumped in. "The Doctor is in." He soniced the lift door and it then opened allowing some of the infected people outside to notice and begin to head his way. "I'm in here! Come on!" He announced allowing all of them to now notice him in the lift.

"Don't tell them!" Cassandra hiss at him through the gap of the lift.

"Pull that lever!" He ordered. Cassandra followed his order and pulled on the lever with all of her strength.

"Come and get me. Come on" He encouraged them all

 _Commence stage one disinfection._

The Doctor grinned "Hurry up! Come on!" he said as all of the solutions mixed with the disinfectant began to pour on him. "Come on, come on." The first few people now entering the lift. The solution started to clear and cure them of all of the diseases they had being given by the Sisterhood. The now cured people then exit the lift. "All they want to do is pass it on." He started to jump up and down in joy "Pass it on!"

"Pass on what?" Cassandra asked, still holding the lever in place "Pass on what?"

"Pass it on!" The Doctor repeated continuing to jump up and down.

"What did they pass on?" Cassandra repeated for the third time "Did you kill them?" She asked. 'No' Rita thought unable to communicate any longer knowing that she was most likely close to dying now not being able to take being trapped in her own head any longer than a few more minutes.

"No." He helped Cassandra down from the lift shaft "That's your way of doing things." He walked out the lift and smiled at what he had just done, curing and helping all of these people who were once trapped like rats in a lab.

"I'm the Doctor, and I cured them." A young woman walks up and then hugs the Doctor. "That's right." He cooed "Hey, there we go, sweetheart." The Doctor then pointed at a man "Go to him. Go on, that's it." He encouraged the woman over to the man softly "That's it. It's a new sub-species, Cassandra. A brand new form of life. New humans!" He beamed ecstatic "Look at them. Look! Grown by cats, kept in the dark, fed by tubes, but completely, completely alive." He burned with happiness for these people "You can't deny them because you helped create them. The human race just keeps on going, keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!" He watched the new humans help one another.

The Doctor and Cassandra still in Rita's body walk through the empty ward trying to find Rose.' _Rita'_ the brunette heard a soft calm voice that definitely wasn't Cassandra in her head. _'It's ok she can't hear me neither can the Doctor, only you, I'm giving you longer to manage with Cassandra in your head so you can speak to me and survive this'_

 _'Jack?'_ Rita thought. _'Thank you'_

 _'It's been a long time my friend you look so young'_

 _'And you so old'_ Rita mentally sighed wishing she had her own body back so she didn't have to worry about Cassandra hearing what she or Jack was saying even when she knew that the woman couldn't.

"The Face of Boe!" The Doctor interrupted the girls thought spotting the face in the ward with Rose by his side. "You were supposed to be dying." He placed a hand on the tank and then looked at Rose who nodded telling him she was fine.

 _'There are better things to do today. Dying can wait.'_ Boe spoke to trios minds.

"Oh, I hate telepathy. Just what I need, a head full of big face."

 _'I have grown tired with the universe, Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew.'_

"There are legends, you know, saying that you're millions of years old." He smiled at Boe.

 _'There are? That would be impossible.'_ The Face of Boe spoke as if it was something he didn't already know.

"Wouldn't it just." The Doctor looked up at The Face of Boe knowing that these legends could possibly be true. "I got the impression there was something you wanted to tell me."

 _'Not just you Doctor, but it is a great secret'_

"So the legend says." The Doctor chuckled watching The Face of Boe wind him up.

 _'It can wait.'_ He said while thinking that he needed to wait for the right moment and this moment was not it knowing it was too soon.

"Oh, does it have to?!" The Doctor moaned, sighing while nodding.

 _'We shall meet again, Doctor, for the third time, for the last time, and the truth shall be told. Until that day'_ he paused ' _goodbye his precious stone'_ The Face of Boe spoke only to Rita once again and then beamed away to the unknown leaving nothing behind.

"That is enigmatic." The Doctor shook his head and grinned That, that is, that is textbook enigmatic." His face then fell and he turned to Cassandra "And now for you."

"But everything's happy. Everything's fine. Can't you just leave me?" She begged looking between the Doctor and Rose.

"You've lived long enough. Leave that body and end it, Cassandra." The Doctor spoke calmly.

"I don't want to die." Cassandra's voice began to crack.

"No one does." Rose softly spoke to the woman.

"Help me." She looked up at the pair. Pleaded in her eyes.

"We can't."

"Mistress!" The Doctor and Rose looked up while Cassandra turned around to see Chip run in a smile plastered on his face.

"Oh, you're alive."

"I kept myself safe for you, mistress." Chip walked over beaming proudly at the woman. The poor man cared for her so much yet she didn't blink an eye at him.

"A body. And not just that, a volunteer." Cassandra grinned at the pair obviously hinting to them that she was going to use Chip.

"Don't you dare." The Doctor warned her "He's got a life of his own."

"But I worship the mistress." Chip basically encouraging Cassandra "I welcome her." he smiled at Cassandra.

"You can't, Cassandra, you-" It was too late and Cassandra had already let Rita go freeing her from her own body allowing her to not be compressed to death in her own mind. From feeling so weak Rita headed straight for the floor however if it wasn't for the Doctor catching her Rita most definitely would have.

"Oh! You all right?" The Doctor asked helping her stand before she started to crash to the ground again "Whoa! Okay?" he gasped slightly as he caught Rita before she collided with the cold floor.

"Yeah" Rita groaned feeling her head pounding. "Hi" She looked up at the Doctor and smiled genuinely happy to be back controlling her own body.

"Hello." He grinned. "Welcome back." He helped her stand on her own two feet. Rose then rushed over to the brunette to help keep her balanced on the side the Doctor was not holding.

"Oh, sweet Lord. I'm a walking doodle." Cassandra gasped looking down at her arms.

"You can't stay in there." The Doctor told her "I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the city. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done." He gently let Rita go as she gained the strength to be able to finally stand on her own.

"Well, that would be rather dramatic." Cassandra scoffed "Possibly my finest hour, and certainly my finest hat, but I'm afraid we don't have time." Rita's face fell knowing what was going to happen she walked over near the woman ready to be able to catch her before she fell.

"Poor little Chip is only a half-life, and he's been through so much." Cassandra's face also then fell "His heart is racing so. He's failing. I don't think he's going to last." Cassandra then falls, Rita caught the woman and gently lets her down to the floor.

"Are you all right?" The Doctor asked.

"I'm fine. I'm dying, but that's fine." Cassandra looked at Rita in the eye and smiled sadly knowing what would happen. "You knew didn't you?" She asked softly not looking away.

Rita slowly nodded a tear falling down her cheek as rude and selfish the woman was at times Rita definitely knew from the moment that she ended that 'episode' that Cassandra was kind and cared.

"I'm sorry Cassandra" Rita sighed. "I tried to warn you at the start, I said that we- the Doctor" she corrected. "Could help, but stubborn you didn't listen." Rita gave out a small laugh.

"It's ok Rita" she blinked not expecting Cassandra to say her name since she only addressed her as the kid or brunette throughout the day. "You tried and that's what matters"

"I can take you to the city." The Doctor interrupted their conversation.

"No, you won't." Cassandra declined the offer "Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore." She sighed "You're right, Doctor. It's time to die, and that's good."

"Come on. There's one last thing I can do." The Doctor turned around and began to head for the TARDIS and then stopped waiting for Rita and Rose.

"Rose you go on with Cassandra a second I need to talk to Rita" Rita blinked at the Doctor and frowned then turned to Rose who nodded and helped Cassandra.

"Are you okay?" he asked her once Rose had left.

"I told you I was-"

"About her" He interrupted and glanced in the direction Rose and Cassandra went in. "You knew this was going to happen Rita and I know what that can do to someone." He glanced down knowing too well that Rita knew what he was talking about.

"I'll be fine," She told him truthfully nodding. "I promise"

"I know" he smiled back and offered his hand trying to at least comfort her knowing what she was going through right now as the pair headed in the same direction as their friend had just left in.

Rita decided it was best for her to stay in the TARDIS while the Doctor and Rose left to take Cassandra to the last time she was called a beautiful woman. Rita sighed at the thought she never realised it was this hard knowing the future she was going to have to stop being so sensitive if she was going to survive what was to come.

 **So for those of you who haven't found out already, I would seriously go onto the BBC/Doctor Who YouTube channel and watch the short clip revealing the 13th Doctor before you continue reading on.**

 **(Will include spoilers mentioning the 13th Doctor _duh_ )**

 **So the 13th Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) was announced as the first female Doctor today and honestly, in my opinion, seeing her with the key and walking towards the TARDIS, it just looked so right in my opinion, she's such a great actress, she was in Broadchurch which also had David Tennant (10th Doctor) and Arthur Darvill (Rory) in it. She's actually the first Doctor I knew from previous shows before being the Doctor. (I didn't realise David Tennant was in Harry Potter before like a year later xD) It's going to be a challenge writing Rita with the 13th Doctor (because I do plan to write all of Matt Smith's and Peter Capaldi's episodes) but we don't even know anything about her Doctor, the companion(?) or series 11 yet. Just felt like I had to say something about the topic since it isn't every day a new Doctor let alone a female Doctor is announced.**

 **What do you guys think about the new Doctor? I'm definitely going to miss Peter as the Doctor but things change and new opportunities are made.**


	5. Tooth and Claw

"What do you think of this? Will it do?" Rose walked over to the console spinning around a little in her denim dungarees, Rita wrinkled her nose a, personally thinking that it didn't suit the blonde.

"I prefer my new grey jeans with my plaid shirt and leather jacket, not to mention my new shoes" Rita laughed pointing at the new maroon vans on her feet remembering what happened to her red ones.

"You sure like vans don't you" Rose laughed.

"Yep" Rita popped the 'p'

"You can't wear that where we're going" the Doctor chuckled at Rita.

"You wear that suit all the time" Rita exclaimed crossing her arms over her chest and sighing, leaning on the TARDIS. "Where are we going anyways?" Rita raised a brow curiosity getting the better of her.

"Somewhere where you can't wear that" Rose laughed at her own comment.

"1979" The Doctor answered the brunettes question.

"Still not changing Doctor" Rita grinned "If you can get away with that suit with them Conversers in 1979 I can get away with what I am wearing" she gave a smug look, the Doctor being defeated smirked back at her.

"Very well then. Hold on, listen to this" he commented and then popped a CD into the TARDIS which then began to play. "Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Number One in 1979." He told the pair.

"You're a punk" Rose laughed at him.

"Hey, this isn't so bad" Rita nodded her head in thought.

"It's good to be a lunatic."

"That's what you are." Rose pointed and laughed "A big old punk with a bit of rockabilly thrown in." She waved her finger up and down at him Rita shook her head and chuckled at Rose.

"Would you like to see him?" The Doctor asked Rose.

"How'd you mean?" Rose asked "In concert?"

"What else is a TARDIS for?" He began to walk around the console, Rita behind him and Rose on the opposite side. "I can take you both to the Battle of Trafalgar, the first anti-gravity Olympics, Caesar crossing the Rubicon or Ian Dury at the Top Rank, Sheffield, England, Earth, 21st November, 1979. What do you think?" He grinned at them.

"Sheffield it is." Rose caught up with them and stood on the right side of the Doctor, Rita to his left, he looked over at Rita and raised a brow.

"Sheffield it is then." She agreed the Doctor smiled smugly at them both.

"Hold on tight." He pressed buttons on the console while turning knobs and pulling levers. He then brought out a large hammer and starts to hit the TARDIS to the beat of the music.

"I don't think she likes it when you do" Rita began but then was thrown to the floor on her back along with the Doctor and Rose. "That" She blinked and then looked over at the Doctor and then Rose.

The Doctor jumped up and placed the hammer down then helped Rose and Rita to their feet who followed him to the doors of the TARDIS while picking up his coat jacket on the way. "1979. Hell of a year." He grins at the both Rita then frowns

'You mean 1879' the brunette thought to herself.

"China invades Vietnam. The Muppet Movie. Love that film. Margaret Thatcher. Urgh." The Doctor shook his head slightly shivering. "Skylab falls to Earth, with a little help from me." He winked at the two "Nearly took off my thumb." He then exited the TARDIS followed by Rose and then Rita who already had her hands halfway in the air. "And I like my thumb. I need my thumb. I'm very attached to-" He stopped talking at the sound of well over 5 rifles being cocked and pointed in the trio's direction.

"My thumb" He finished raising his hands. "1879. Same difference." Rita shook her head

"Big difference" she whispers closely watching the men who were on horses and standing pointing their guns at the three.

"You will explain your presence." The man on a black horse the closest to the three "And the nakedness of this girl as well as this ones strange clothes" The Doctor caught on and began to use a Scottish accent which honestly sounded like he was from Scotland.

"Are we in Scotland?" He asked.

"How can you be ignorant of that?" The man on the horse frowned. Rita had to cover her mouth with her hands to stop her from laughing at the Doctors accent which she noticed sounded _a lot_ like David Tennant's natural accent.

"Oh, I'm, I'm dazed and confused." he continued the accent looking over at Rita and winking "I've been chasing this, this wee naked child over hill and over dale." He looked over at Rose "Isn't that right, ya timorous beastie?"

"Och, aye! I've been oot and aboot." Rose tried to copy the Doctor but failed, Rita couldn't hold it in any longer and let out a chuckle.

"No don't do that" he dropped the accent shaking his head, Rita then snorted trying to stop her laughter.

"Hoots mon." Rose continued Rita then laughed louder.

"No. Really don't. Really" The Doctor shook his head then turned to Rita who then stopped laughing turning all serious.

"And what is wrong with her?" The man turned to Rita although she had stopped laughing you could see that she was desperately trying to hold another laugh in.

"Oh, she was with the wee naked child, wouldn't leave without her" He made up in a Scottish accent once again.

"Will you identify yourself, sir?" The man asked the Doctor.

"I'm Doctor James McCrimmon, from the township of Balamory. I have my credentials, if I may." He reached into the inside of his coat and pulled out the psychic paper and then held it up to the man on the horse.

"As you can see, a Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. I trained under Doctor Bell himself." He took the psychic back a rather posh British female voice was then heard from the carriage.

"Let them approach" it ordered.

"I don't think that's wise, ma'am." The man on the horse recommended.

"Let them approach" she repeated.

"You will approach the carriage," He then ordered and the three walked over to the carriage following his orders. "And show all due deference." A footman then opened the door to reveal Queen Victoria.

"Rita, Rose," The Doctor beamed widely "might I introduce her Majesty, Queen Victoria. Empress of India and Defender of the Faith."

"Rose Tyler, Ma'am." Rose bowed before the Queen "And my apologies for being so naked."

"Rita Stone, Ma'am." Rita copied her friend. "apologies for.." she paused Queen Victoria raised a brow. "my strange clothes"

"I've had five daughters. It's nothing to me." She chuckled addressing them both "But you, Doctor. Show me these credentials." The Doctor then handed over the psychic paper to her, she looked over the psychic paper and frowned "Why didn't you say so immediately?" The Doctor then frowned in confusion" It states clearly here that you have been appointed by the Lord Provost as my Protector."

"Does it?" He questioned and then corrected himself "Yes, it does. Good. Good." he nodded "Then let me ask - why is Your Majesty travelling by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?"

"A tree on the line" Queen Victoria replied.

"An accident?" Rita shook her head while Queen Victoria corrected Rose's guess: "I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned."

"An assassination attempt?" The Doctor raised his brows and nodded his head forward slightly.

"What, seriously? There are people out to kill you?" Rose questioned not believing what she was hearing.

"I'm quite used to staring down the barrel of a gun." She commented very seriously.

"Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence. We've sent word ahead. He'll shelter us for tonight, then we can reach Balmoral tomorrow." The man informed the three.

"This Doctor, his timorous beastie and the girl in strange clothes will come with us." The trio smiled brightly at the Queen and nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am. We'd better get moving - it's almost nightfall." The man agreed.

"Indeed. And there are stories of wolves in these parts. Fanciful tales intended to scare the children. But good for the blood, I think. Drive on!"

The carriage then slowly began to move and the three walked behind following.

"It's funny, though because you say assassination and you just think of Kennedy and stuff." Rose thought out loud "Not her."

"1879? She's had, oh, six attempts on her life? And I'll tell you something else." He laughed "We just met Queen Victoria!"

"We did" Rita laughed.

"I know!" Rose giggled

"What a laugh!" The Doctor commented looking at the two girls beside him.

"Never thought I would meet the Queen." Rita told the too "You're impossible Doctor" Rita shook her head and smiled Rose did the same.

"Oh but you both love it really" He smirked at the two.

"She was just sitting there." Rose thought aloud again.

"Like a stamp" Rita commented.

"I want her to say we are not amused." Rose chuckled "I bet you five quid I can make her say it." She turned to Rita and then the Doctor

"Well, if I gambled on that, it'd be an abuse of my privileges of traveller in time." He said. "Plus Rita knows the future foreknowledge and all" He waved his arm in the air.

"Foreknowledge" Rita mumbled frowning.

"Like knowing something is going to happen before it does, that's foreknowledge"

"Oh" Rita nods in understanding.

"Ten quid?" Rose looked at the Doctor.

"Done" he smiled.

The three linked arms and continued to follow the carriage holding Queen Victoria in it, they joked around and told stories to each other on the way, Rita telling them both more about her life before meeting the pair.

"Your Majesty." A man walked out cautiously with a bold man a frown plastered on his face behind him. Rita looks down sadly knowing what was to happen to the man and most of the people in the house later today. There was nothing Rita could do and she knew that. The Doctor noticed her looking down with a sad expression he gently squeezed her hand to comfort the girl, Rita looked up at him and gave a sad smile to try and reassure him that she was ok.

"Sir Robert." Queen Victoria exited the carriage "My apologies for the emergency. And how is Lady Isobel?" She asked unaware of what was going on inside the house.

"She's" he paused thinking of the word to use "indisposed, I'm afraid. She's gone to Edinburgh for the season." he then tried to warn her: "And she's taken the cook with her. The kitchens are barely stocked. I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if you wanted to ride on." The queen waved it off not seeing the worry behind the man's eyes.

"Oh, not at all. I've had quite enough carriage exercise. And this is charming, if rustic. It's my first visit to this house. My late husband spoke of it often." She paused "The Torchwood Estate." Rita's eyes shot up at the Queen she knew what the house was called but hearing it in person brought it to a whole new level. "Now, shall we go inside? And please excuse the naked girl and the girl in strange clothes".

"Sorry." Rose and Rita both muttered.

"She's a feral child. I bought her for sixpence in old London Town. Wouldn't leave without the girl in strange clothes." he explained to those who hadn't heard earlier. Rita quietly groaned "It's was her or the Elephant Man, so" Rita rolled her eyes in annoyance. The Doctor was clearly enjoying himself. "You wore the clothes not me" He leant in and whispered into her ear. Rita then groaned again knowing that he was right. The Doctor smirked at her finding the annoyed look on her face quite funny.

"Thinks he's funny but I'm so not amused." Rose narrowed her eyes at the Doctor playfully "What do you think, Ma'am?"

"It hardly matters. Shall we proceed?" Sir Robert nodded at the Queen who then headed into the house.

"So close," Rose whispered to the Doctor and Rita.

"Yet so far" Rita smirked at her.

"Makerson and Ramsey, you will escort the property. Hurry up."

"Yes, sir." they nodded and headed for the carriage then took out a small box and carried to past the three. The Doctor looked at the box as it past intrigued as to what was inside.

"So what's in there, then?" The Doctor finally asked.

"Property of the Crown. You will dismiss any further thoughts, sir." He firmly told the Doctor "The rest of you go to the rear of the house. Assume your designated positions." he ordered his men.

"You heard the orders. Positions" One of the soldiers told the others. They then all followed going around to the back of the house.

The three followed the Queen and Sir Robert up to the observatory where Queen Victoria and Sir Robert were looking at his father's telescope. Rose and Rita peered over the three now including the Doctor to admire the telescope as well. "This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour." The Queen guessed.

"All my father's work." He nodded "Built by hand in his final years. Became something of an obsession. He spent his money on this rather than caring for the house or himself."

"I wish I'd met him. I like him." The Doctors smiled at Robert and then gleamed at the telescope "That thing's beautiful. Can I?" He gestured to it if he could touch it and look at it with more detail

"Help yourself" Sir Robert approved.

"It's amazing" Rita beamed and turned to Rose who nodded in agreement.

"Your father must have been proud" Rose then added.

The Doctor walked back over standing between Rose and Rita and looked through the telescope "It's a bit rubbish." The Doctor commented shooting down the telescope and wrinkled his nose. Rita rolled her eyes at him he just shrugged back at her "How many prisms has it got?" He asked but then it himself "Way too many. The magnification's gone right over the top." He pointed out "That's stupid kind of-" he stopped and then turned to the girls "Am I being rude again?" He raised a brow in question.

"Yep," they replied in unison pursuing their lips.

"But it's pretty. It's very pretty." The Doctor pointed out turning to the two girls who nodded in agreement.

"And the imagination of it should be applauded." Queen Victoria added.

"Mmm." Rose hummed "Thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty. Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful? You could easily not be amused, or something?" Rita shook her head and grinned at the blonde finding her persistence to be funny. "No?" Rita looked up at the Doctor standing on the other side of Rose, looking down and shaking his head.

"This device surveys the infinite work of God. What could be finer?" The Queen asked, "Sir Robert's father was an example to us all." She turned to the man "A polymath, steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally well versed in folklore and fairytales."

"Stars and magic. I like him more and more."

"I thought you didn't believe in magic" Rita whispered to him who just frowned back at her in confusion. "Secrets" she smirked.

"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company." She continued not hearing the pair "Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe Coburg."

"That's Bavaria." The Doctor stated.

"When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported." Rita's eyes shot up staring at the woman the Doctor holding the same look.

"So, what's this wolf, then?" The Doctor asked.

"It's just a story," Robert spoke up looking very uncomfortable, Rita turned to him looking at the man with pity. She couldn't take knowing his future, knowing that she wouldn't be able to change or stop it without something like a paradox being created possibly harming Rose the Doctor and herself in the process, something that she couldn't see happen.

"Then tell it." The Doctor was persistent, Rita winced a little at that hating that he couldn't see what was going on with his own eyes then again she know he had no way of knowing what was going on below them in the cellar.

Robert stuttered for a moment and turned his head in the direction of the three bold men in the doorway "It's said that-" He was cut off by the man in the middle.

"Excuse me, sir." he cut in. "Perhaps her Majesty's party could repair to their rooms. It's almost dark." he smiled innocently a little too innocently for Rita's liking knowing what he had done or was going to do she shot him a glare that he did not see.

"Of course." Robert sighed "Yes, of course."

"And then supper." the Queen nodded "And could we find some clothes for Miss Tyler and Miss Stone? I'm tired of nakedness and strange clothes."

"It's not amusing, is it?" Rose smiled at the Queen who ignored her.

She turned to Robert "Sir Robert, your wife must have left some clothes. See to it." she turned back to the trio standing beside the huge telescope "We shall dine at seven, and talk some more of this wolf." Rita silently breathed deeply thinking to herself that she would rather not talk about the wolf. "After all, there is a full moon tonight."

"So there is, Ma'am," Robert commented and then bowed. The trio and the Queen walked out the room, Rita watching Robert closely wishing that she could help the poor man as the bold men stood behind Sit Robert.

"What do you think of the house then?" Rose asked Rita who thought for a moment sitting on the bed watching the blonde bring out clothes after clothes.

"Its, different than I thought it would be"

"Good different or bad different" Rose questioned not looking back while she scanned through the wardrobe.

"Just, different" Rita grinned at her reference to Christmas something the blonde most likely didn't think twice to remember, her face then fell as she remembered who else was in the room, her eyes darted around as she tried to remember where the housemaid was hiding.

Rose closed the wardrobe and moved over to another Rita's eyes then widened suddenly knowing what the blonde would find. The poor woman screamed and jumped back in fright as the housemaid looked at the pair scared to death.

"Hey, hey" Rita slowly walked over holding out a hand to try and calm the maid. "We're not here to hurt you" the maid cautiously stepped out of the wardrobe.

"Why were you in the wardrobe?" Rose calmly asked the woman in a soothing voice.

"They came through the house." The maid choked up tears forming in her eyes as she remembered the event. "In the excitement, they took the Steward and the Master, and my Lady."

Rose took the woman's hands and looked into her eyes Rita stood beside the woman with a hand on her shoulder trying to add as much comfort as she possibly could "Listen. we've got a friend." She spoke slowly so the woman could understand and calm down "He's called the Doctor. He'll know what to do. You've got to come with us."

"Rose we really should wait for the Doctor" Rita warned her calmly so she wouldn't scare the maid.

"No" Rose shook her head. "We should find him, he will know what to do," She said more to the woman than to Rita. "Right Rita"

"Right" she nodded knowing that she couldn't argue with Rose risking the new friendship as well as the course of events to come.

"Oh, but I can't, Miss." the maid said to Rose in a pleading voice now shaking, she looked at Rita begging for her to back the maid up Rita just slowly shook her head looking down.

"What's your name?" she asked the maid for Rose as she already knew her name.

"Flora." she choked up again, Rita moved her hand from the woman's shoulder and brought her in for a hug in an attempt to calm her.

"Flora, we'll be safe," Rose promised her, Rita knew that Rose couldn't keep that sort of promise knowing what would happen to many of the people in this house including possibly Flora. Rita couldn't remember if the poor woman died or survived the night, and she hoped it was the second option.

"There's more people arrived downstairs, soldiers and everything," Rose told her "and they can help us." She then looked into Flora's eyes and then up at Rita who nodded at the blonde before she looked back at Flora and with a serious expression told her: "I promise. Come on. Okay? Come on." She gestured for the maid and Rita to follow.


	6. Tooth and Claw - Two

The three turns a corner, Rita and Rose suddenly notice a soldier in similar clothes to the ones by the carriage earlier was laying on the floor as if he was dead.

"Oh, Miss." Flora cried out "I did warn you."

"He's not dead." Role paused and then continued. "I don't think," she looked at Rita wondering what she thought.

"No he's not" she confirmed.

"he must be drugged or something." Rose then added while looking at the man laying on the floor.

The bold man who Rita remembered from the episode as father Angelo grabbed Flora from behind. Rita jumped around in surprise feeling the maid grab her arm in fright Angelo held a hand firmly around the maid's mouth, unable to speak she widened her eyes at the brunette. Rose, on the other hand, was also grabbed by another one of the bold men in the same position as Flora. Rita had no time to react to what was going on with a third man coming up behind her grabbing her placing a hand over her mouth and dragging the three away.

Angelo entered a very posh dining area with the Doctor Queen Victoria and one of the soldiers from before seated at a large table in the middle of the room lit by only candles. "Your companions beg for an apology, Doctor." He walked in not looking at the three "Their clothing has somewhat delayed them both."

"Oh, that's all right. Save them both a wee bit of ham." The Doctor looked up at Angelo and smiled.

"Very wise, Ma'am. Very witty" the soldier who obviously must be the captain commented smiling away at the Queen.

"Slightly witty, perhaps." She nodded in agreements, the Doctor watched the two talk and began to wonder how long it actually took for the two girls to change clothes. "I know you rarely get the chance to dine with me, Captain, but don't get too excited." the Queen warned, "I shall contain my wit in case I do you further injury."

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am" The captain said

"Besides, we're all waiting on Sir Robert." the Doctor spoke turning to the man who looked slightly nervous. "Come, sir. You promised us a tale of nightmares."

"Indeed." Queen Victoria agreed with the Doctor "Since my husband's death, I find myself with more of a taste for supernatural fiction."

The Doctor nodded his head at the woman his mind elsewhere. Where are Rita and Rose? he repeatedly asked himself. "You must miss him." the Doctor replied stopping any thoughts about where the two were knowing that they were most likely busy trying on clothes with Rita complaining about dresses and having to change out of her 'strange' clothes, the Doctor smiled to himself at the thought of her moaning about the different clothes and Rose having no issues with them trying to encourage the brunette to wear a dress that she thought was 'hideous'

"Begin your tale, Sir Robert." the Doctor snapped back into reality not hearing what the Queen had just said he slowly nodded making no comment "There's a chill in the air. The wind is howling through the eaves." the Queen looked between the Doctor, Robert who was now sat down and the captain. "Tell us of monsters."

Rita and Rose were chained up with Flora and a few another woman who seemed to work or live in the house. " Don't make a sound." the woman Rita remembered as Isobel from the episode warned the rest of the girls. "They said if we scream or shout, then he will slaughter us."

"But he's in a cage. He's a prisoner." Rose told them not knowing what the man really way "He's the same as us."

"He's nothing like us," Isobel spoke her voice cracking a little while she didn't look away from the man terror taking over her face.

"Isobel is right Rose" Rita stared at the creature her face fixed and unreadable. "That's not a man"

"That creature is not mortal," Isobel added only moments before the man's eyes shot open showing the black empty nothingness the woman chained up against the wall on the other side of the room jolt back in horror, even Rita who knew that this was going to happen jolted back in fright. Seeing this happen through a screen was one thing but seeing it in front of your eyes is another.

"The story goes back three hundred years." Robert began looking a little calmer than before "Every full moon, the howling rings through the valley. The next morning, livestock is found ripped apart and devoured." The Doctor frowned listening to the man closely.

Tales like this just disguise the work of thieves. Steal a sheep and blame a wolf, simple as that.

"But sometimes a child goes missing." The Doctor raised his eyebrows and leant in a little closer "Once in a generation, a boy will vanish from his homestead."

Rose started to get up from the ground Rita then followed as well having no choice since she was chained up to the blonde, not that it made any difference since she wouldn't put her in danger even if she know Rose would survive it knowing how much the Doctor cared for her even if he didn't even know it himself yet she couldn't place her in any possible life threatening danger that Rose most likely would escape.

" Don't, children" was the only warning Isobel gave them both.

"Who are you?" Rose asked ignoring her.

"Don't enrage him." a steward also chained up also warned Rose who proceeded to ignore him.

"Where are you from?" She started to kneel down not being able to move forward any further. Rita stood by her protecting Rose, she could never be too sure.

"You're not from Earth," Rita told the man more like a statement than a question.

"What planet are you from?" Rose asked wanting to help the man.

"Oh, intelligence." the man snapped his head in Rita's direction she stayed firmly in place. His voice was scratchy and croaky as if he had not spoken for a long time.

"Where were you born?" Rose asked ignoring his comment to her friend.

"This body? Ten miles away. A weakling," he spat "Heartsick boy, stolen away at night by the brethren for my cultivation. I carved out his soul and sat in his heart." The man spoke as if it was an everyday thing for him to just take a body like that. Take the body of a young man someone somewhere loved siblings parents possibly a relationship all gone because something more powerful than him could take his body and claim it as its own.

"Are there descriptions of the creature?" The Doctor was definitely interested.

"Oh, yes, Doctor. Drawings and woodcarvings." Robert paused looking at the Doctor very seriously "And it's not merely a wolf. It's more than that. This is a man who becomes an animal." he spoke as if it was impossible yet so real like he had seen it before or at least know it was real.  
"A werewolf?" the Doctor widened his eyes asking Robert if what he thought he had heard correctly was indeed real.

"All right," Rose sighed trying to piece things together as Rita watched trying to remember as much about the episode as she could which honestly wasn't that good considering the episode was released in April 2006. It was around January 2017 for Rita before she had come here, she didn't remember as much as she would have done with the episode being fresh in her mind. "So the body's human." Rose questioned the man thinking though every so delicately "But what about you, the thing inside?"

"So far from home, just like you Miss Stone" the man snapped his head to the brunette now wide-eyed with more fear than she ever had been full of before. Rose stared at the brunette with disbelief _How does it know me?_ Rita repeated over and over in her mind thinking back trying to remember the episode. It never mentioned Rose in the episode? she thought now doubting herself more and more the longer she thought about it. _Why me?_ she questioned herself. _It couldn't have anything to do with me being from 'another world' or the future, Rose was from the future as well?_ The girl thought. _Why didn't it mention Rose?_

"We can help you get back home." Rita shook the thoughts from her head focusing on the current moment.

"Why would I leave this place?" He asked "A world of industry, of workforce and warfare. I could turn it to such purpose." The voice almost gleamed at the thought.

"How would you do that?" Rose asked

"I would migrate to the Holy Monarch."

"You mean you would take over Queen Victoria" Rita corrected making it sound much harsher than it already did.

"With one bite, I would pass into her blood, and then it begins. The Empire of the Wolf. Many questions." The man lunged forward, hands on bars and his face between them staring at the girls.

"Look. Inside your eyes. You've seen it too." The scratchy voice spoke.

"Seen what?" Rose asked confused. Rita slowly moved her hand over to Rose's to comfort the girl knowing what was about to be said.

"The Wolf. There is something of the Wolf about you" he didn't fully understand what he could possibly see in the blonde's eyes.

"I don't know what you mean." Rose denied all knowledge, however, she knew what he meant, she just didn't believe it.  
"You burnt like the sun, but all I require is the moon." He said before snapping his head to Rita. "And you," she frowned puzzled. "The girl so alone yet not so much." Rita frowned. She wasn't alone she had Rose and the Doctor they were all she really needed, none of her 'friends' from 'her world' had time to spend with her, always at parties or family dinners. _Rita was all alone._

"My father didn't treat it as a story." Robert continued "He said it was fact. He even claimed to have communed with the beast, to have learned its purpose. I should have listened. His work was hindered. He made enemies. There's a monastery in the Glen of Saint Catherine. The Brethren opposed my father's investigations." He explained. There was a faint whisper in the room coming from Angelo staring up at the moon.

"Perhaps they thought his work ungodly." The Queen suggested.  
"That's what I thought." He sighed his eyes flickering between Angelo and the three sitting at the table "But now I wonder. What if they had a different reason for wanting the story kept quiet?" He paused looking at the three seriously "What if they turned from God and worshipped the wolf?"

The Doctors eyes widened suddenly realising what Robert was talking about his eyes scanned the room landing on Angelo by the window ignoring the four at the table, staring at the moon mumbling words in a whisper. "And what if they were with us right now?" He said turning back to the three.

The cellar doors flew open causing the chained up people to jump back and the man to throw his head in the direction of the light. "Moonlight" he whispered pushing his head between the bars trying to get as close as he possibly can to touch the light. A wind began to rise in the room, impossible since it wasn't windy out Rita could clearly see there was not a single breeze she knew Rose could see as well. The man began to remove his cloak. She pulled the blonde back to the wall and grabbed the chain with both hands.

"All of you!" Rose shouted back at them understanding Rita's plan or what was meant to be her own plan. "Stop looking at it!" She turned to Flora and looked at her in the eyes, terror taking over the girls body "Flora, don't look at it" Rita called back making an early start on pulling the chain. "Listen to her!" Rose shouted at Flora "Grab hold of the chain and pull!" She ordered the rest of the people in the room. Eyes fix on the man now almost the wolf. "Come on! With me! Pull!" She grabbed the chain and began to pull along with Rita with all her might.

"What is the meaning of this?" Queen Victoria demanded to know what was going on her.

"Explain yourself, Sir Robert!" The captain also demanded, shouting at Robert.

"What's happening?" The Queen asked confused she looked between the two men for an answer while the Doctor sat in his chair thinking.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, they've got my wife." Sir Robert blurted out. The Doctor widened his eyes and then jumped up storming over to Angelo who wasn't paying attention as if he was in some kind of trance.

"Rose!" He shouted at the man who was still taking no notice of him "Where's Rita!?" he shouted gritting his teeth and clenching his hands that were now in tight fists "Where are they!? Sir Robert, come on!" he turned and ran ordering the man to follow.

The two girls along with the rest of the people chained together continued to pull the chain attached to the wall with all their strength, not wasting a single moment or breath Rita gritted her teeth arms aching and hands feeling like a newly lit fire with how much they burned and stung from pulling the chain and almost her skin. Rose also felt the same she counted the group in ready to pull: "One, two, three, pull!" she shouted out. "One, two, three, pull!"

"One, two, three, pull!" Rose shouted again, Rita groaned pulling with all of the energy she had left in her arms freeing the chain and the group of kidnapped people from the wall. Rita jolted her head in the direction of the door as she heard it breaking open on the other side.

"Doctor!" Rita shouted getting Rose and the Doctors attention.

"Where the hell have you been?" Rose sighed in relief still not out of danger, though.

"Oh that's beautiful" The Doctor mumbled staring at the wolf as it fully formed snapping parts of the cage.

"Now's not the time to flirt with it, Doctor!" Rita shouted at him while Robert ordered everyone out of the room. The wolf breaks the cage with its size freeing itself and snapping its neck in the group's direction"Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out! Out!" the Doctor shouted at the remaining people in the room pushing them to the door Rose ran out and into the hallway waiting for the Doctor, Rita stood just before the doorway knowing what was to happen next.

"Come on!" Rose shouted at the pair while running down the hallway the Doctor watching the wolf in awe Rita standing waiting for him.

"Doctor!" she shouted just before the wolf threw part of its cage at the man who ducked under it grabbing Rita's hand and rushed out the room locking the door with the sonic screwdriver after him, The Doctor and Rita raised down the hall after Rose. They both catch up to Rose who was with the rest of the people from the cellar in a room as Sir Robert handed out guns and orders to the men.

"Arms, and you five. Ready, everyone?" he asked the men, the Doctor and Rita ran up to Rose. "I thought you both died!" she hit Rita and the Doctors arms

"Not today Rose" Rita smiled "Had to make sure he got out with his head" Rita pointed her thumb at the Doctor. "You may like your thumb but you look better with your head attached to your body" Rita shook her own head.

"What is it though Doctor?" Rose asked while he used the sonic screwdriver to remove the shackles off the girls.

"It could be any form of light modulated species triggered by specific wavelengths." he shook his head still unsure.

 _'Think Doctor'_ Rita thought

"Did it say what it wanted?" He looked at them both.

"The Queen, the Crown, the throne - you name it." she shook her head confused as to why.

the three heard a crash, the Doctor ran back to the hall to see what it was guessing most likely the wolf Rita sighed shaking her head before following staying behind the corner and peeking out to see the Doctor standing there still watching the wolf what was growling and sending daggers at him with its eyes. The wolf then began to ran the Doctor didn't move What are you doing?! She thought to widen her eyes as the wolf came closer not thinking she ran out and grabbed his hand jolting him back and pulling him with her "Come on!" She shouted rolling her eyes and running as fast as she could. "One day you're going to get yourself killed because you think something looks pretty!" They ran back to where a line of men was pointing guns in there direction, not at them, though. The Doctor pulled Rose back behind him along with Rita keeping them both behind him while he stood behind them, men.

"Fire!" the man in the middle shouted as the wolf came into sight. "Fire!" he repeated while they shot at the wolf. The wolf then dived the corner escaping some of the bullets, Rita knew it wasn't over and she could see that the Doctor and possibly Rose also realised just that.

The Doctor ordered the men lined up: "All right, you men. We should retreat upstairs. Come with me." he told them.

"I'll not retreat." the man in the middle told the Doctor, Rita gritted her teeth knowing what was to happen next. "The battle's done. There's no creature on God's Earth that could survive such an assault."

"How do you know that?" Rita said through her gritted teeth.

"It's impossible," he told her.

"Nothing is impossible, the Doctor is trying to save your life!" she shouted her eyes blazing at the man.

"You girl" he pointed right in her face. "You do not have the authority to tell me what to do!"

"authority my a-"

"I'm telling you" the Doctor spoke calmly, much calmer than he did in the episode. "Come upstairs"

"And I'm telling you, sir," he started to walk away from the group towards the corridor, Rita went to try and stop him only to be pulled back by the Doctor, she looked up and could see the sadness in his eyes. _Is this what it's like?_ she thought.

 _Is this what I am going to have to get used to? Knowing that people will die and I just have to stand there and watch?_ she sighed and felt a squeeze in her hand. The Doctor trying to comfort her, Rose placed one of her hands upon Rita's shoulder as the man continued.

"I will sleep well tonight with that thing's hide upon my wall"  
He turned towards where the wolf had stood, looking round the corner he then turned back towards the group. Rita closed her eyes squeezing them as tight as possible. "It must have crawled away to die." He grinned mo king the group before screaming in pain as he was pulled into the air and ripped into shreds. The Doctor looked up in horror and anger grabbing Rose's hand with the one not holding Rita's

"There's nothing we can do!" The Doctor shouts.

"Everybody out!" Rita shouted ordering everyone to move. The Doctor pulled the girls away from the beast hearing the monstrosity of the man screaming in agony behind them as his skin and bones were pulled apart.

The Doctor, Rita and Rose were with "All right, you men. We should retreat upstairs. Come with me.

The three continued to run not looking back. They came to a staircase finding Queen Victoria and Sir Robert who had ran ahead. "The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut." The Doctor informed them both and then looked over at to the Queen "Pardon me, Your Majesty. You'll have to leg it out of a window." He pursed his lips and then gestured with his hand to the room with the open window which he had found moments before. Rita followed the Doctor Rose, Queen Victoria and Robert into the room. "Excuse my manners, Ma'am," he looked over at the Queen "but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egress."

"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh" the Queen smiled nodding in approval.

The Doctor sighed and then broke his Scottish accent "Yeah, any chance you could hurry up?" He snapped.

"Accent" Rita whispered behind him just loud enough for him and Rose to hear while Robert opened the window and began to climb out only to almost dive back in again as bullets flew in the group's direction coming from only the monks.

"I reckon the monkey boys want us to stay inside." The Doctor commented keeping his head down with his companions behind him just as low to the ground as he was.

"Do they know who I am?" Queen Victoria said in disgust standing back up and looking between the people in the room with her.

"Yeah, that's why they want you." Rose pointed out. "The wolf's lined you up for a, a biting."

"And that's not a metaphor" Rita added.

"Stop this talk." She demanded. "There can't be an actual wolf." She stated before hearing the howling of the wolf itself. The three, as well as the Queen and Sir Robert, snapped their heads in the direction of the door the Doctor then ran into the corridor and stared at the door clearly seeing the wolfs attempts to get in.

"What do we do?" Rose asked her eyes fixated on the door.

"We run" the Doctor stared at the door.

"Just like we have been doing" Rita sighed. "I ran less in a year at school" she joked then looked between the Doctor and Rose seeing their unamused expression. "Sorry bad time" she mumbled looking at the floor.

"Is that it?" Rose asking her voice raising a little.

The Doctor finally looked away from the door turning to Rose, "You got any silver bullets?" He snapped

"Not on me, no." Rose snapped back.

"There we are then," he tilted his head at her.

"Not the time" Rita snapped at them both.

"we run." He looked over at the Queen "Your Majesty, as a Doctor, I recommend a vigorous jog." He then mimicked a jog and smiled, placing his hand out for the Queen to take. "Good for the health. Come on!"

The Doctor took the lead up the stairs followed by Sir Robert then Rita and Rose running up together. There was a loud crash of wood smashing and colliding with the floor. Rita turned her head and looked down the spiral stairs to look for the wolf. She saw it snarling at her.


	7. Tooth and Claw - Three

"Come on!" The Doctor shouted letting the Queen continue up the stairs. He ran back down shouting at Rita who was fixed in place. "Rita! Come on!" He repeated multiple times trying to get the brunette to snap out of whatever was causing her to freeze, she continued to take no notice and was only pulled out if her trance when the Doctor pulled her by her shoulders and shouted in her face, not because he was angry but because he cared for the girl and couldn't live with knowing her death was his fault, he knew that Rose would always blame him for the brunettes death.

He grabbed her hand and dragged her up the stairs. Her legs not running fast enough to keep up with the Doctor leaving her to be dragged behind him. They turned a corner and the Doctor ducked taking Rita with him behind the captain who proceeded to shoot at the wolf causing it to stumble back.

"I'll take this position and hold it." He told the four. "You keep moving, for God's sake!" He shouted and then looked st the Queen. "Your Majesty, I went to look for the property and it was taken. The chest was empty."

"I have it. It's safe." She reassured him nodding.

"Then remove yourself, Ma'am." He looked over at the Doctor serious expression taking over his face. "Doctor, you stand as Her Majesty's Protector." He then looked over at the other man pointing his gun at him. "And you, Sir Robert, you're a traitor to the crown."

"He tried to save your life!" Rita defended the man. "At least he tried!"

"Not good enough" the captain spoke back in a calm monotone voice. Rita felt a swarm of guilt flow over her. This man _was_ risking his life for his Queen and he didn't have to do that.

"Bullets won't kill it!" The Doctor shouted at him in his face, Rita pulled him back knowing that she or anyone else couldn't stop the man.

"They'll buy you time. Now run!" he orders the Doctor looks at him for a moment and then nods his head running to the library with the Queen, Sir Robert, Rose and Rita.

Sir Robert, Rita and Queen Victoria entered the room panting and out of breath, the Doctor, on the other hand, stood in the exit. Rita looked up to see the blonde standing fixated like just like she was moments ago on the stairs the Doctor shouted for Rose but received no reply, making a quick decision he grabbed the girl around her waist and pulls her in shutting the door behind him.

Robert then ordered them: "Barricade the door" he shouted to them. They all scrambled around the room near the door finding and grabbing what they could to try and block it off. Rita then breathed out a sigh. She noticed that they were in the Libary which was much larger than she anticipated when watching the episode. The room was stacked high with case after case with all different kinds of books many of them hundreds of years old by the time she knew about them.

The Doctor placed a finger to his lips hushing the four humans in the room "Wait a minute. Shush, shush," he leant closer to the door placing his left ear against it "wait a minute." He whispered again. "It's stopped." he breathed out a sigh hearing the wolf sniff and then slowly walk off. "It's gone" he faced the group sighing yet again.

"Listen," Rose told them holding a finger up in the air. Rita widened her eyes remembering part of the current scene and ran to the other door in the room. "It's not the only door!" she whispered quite loudly at them placing chairs in the way of the door. The Doctor and Rose also widened their own eyes rushing over to help the brunette.

"Shush." Rose raised her hand again. "Whats stopping it?" she asked frowning. "Rita?" she looked at the brunette who frowned back at her.

"Yeah?" she replied

"Well, you got foreknowledge so you know what this is right?"

"Rose I can't tell you that" Rita tilted her head. "I don't know the impact of what would happen and I definitely don't want to find it being a bad impact either.

"Not even in a hint?" She frowned again. Rita silently shook her head "Not even a small hint?"

Rita looked at the Doctor for help he, however, said nothing and raised his eyebrows up a little symptheticly for the girl who then sighed and mumbled: "Secret: it's near the walls" The Doctor smiled a little she was begining to understand what she could and couldn't say Rita never noticed this smiled but Rose did and smiled back at him understanding what he was happy at. The Doctor then frowned his smile disapearing off his face.

"Rita" he began. "Why did you stop at the stairs?"

"Why did you stop in the cellar?" she countered crossing her arms.

"I knew I was going to be fine in the cellar you, on the other hand, had no idea of the impact and you knew it too, You knew perfectly well that I was going to be ok yet you stayed behind. So why?" he finished crossing his own arms, his brown eyes searching her face trying to understand what she was thinking behind her skull and in her brain.

"I don't know" she mumbled. "I just stopped, just like Rose did" she shrugged. _This isn't how the episode is supposed to go like?_ She thought not showing her confusion on her face knowing the Doctor was watching her and would definitely know something was wrong.

"I'll tell you what though" Rose spoke making Rita smile a little

 _Back on track,_ she thought.

"What?" The Doctor said.

"Werewolf" Rose cracked up into a small laugh Rita then joined in.

"I know!" The Doctor laughed along with the girls. "Are you both alright?" He asked them both after they all stopped laughing.

"After the running? Feel like I have lost a few pounds" Rita joked.

"I'm okay, yeah" Rose replied nodding.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am." Sir Robert shook his head in apology. "It's all my fault. I should have sent you away." He blamed himself. "I tried to suggest something was wrong. I thought you might notice." He sighed asking: "Did you think there was nothing strange about my household staff?"

"Well," the Doctor dragged it out. "They were bald, athletic." He pointed out. "Your wife's away, I just thought you were happy." He joked.

"Rude" Rita scolded him hitting his arm.

"I'll tell you what, though, Ma'am," Rita slowly shook her head crossing her arms and leaning against a wall knowing where Rose was going with this. "I bet you're not amused now."

"Do you think this is funny?" She asked raising her eyebrows definitely not amused.

"No, Ma'am. I'm sorry." Rose mumbled slowly walking backwards joining Rita leaning against the wall.

"What, exactly, I pray tell me, someone, please. What exactly is that creature?" The Queen asked.

"You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's a more of a lupine wavelength haemovariform." He spoke proudly as if that was a good thing.

"You just want to sound smart" Rita smirked.

"Of course" he raised his brows at her making the brunette snort.

"And should I trust you, sir?" The Queen spoke up Rita and the Doctor stopped grinning turning to the Queen. "You who change your voice so easily? What happened to your accent?"

Rita sighed. "I did tell you" she pointed out raising her brows and looking at the doctor with the 'I told you so' face smirking ever so slightly, he rolled his eyes.

Rose chuckled a little at the pair. "When does he ever listen to us?" she joked grinning at Rita who grinned at her back.

The Queen coughed slightly bringing the trio's attention back onto her. "Oh right," the Doctor rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly "sorry, that's-" he tried to find the correct words to explain but was interrupted by the Queen.

"I'll not have it. No, sir." She then pointed to the door "Not you, not that thing, none of it. This is not my world"

"Not mind either, trust me" Rita mumbled.

"I beg your pardon?" the Queen looked at her frowning. "You look like you are very much enjoying this"

"No, I mean-" Rita stuttered. "This isn't-" she looked at the Queen who didn't seem to understand or care in the slightest. "Never mind" she mumbled looking down at her shoes.

The Doctor patted her shoulder. "Right," he said and then looked up at the door of the room. "Mistletoe." The Doctor identified a carving in the door. "Sir Robert, did you father put that there?" he questioned the man standing beside the Queen looking just as confused as she was.

"I don't know. I suppose." He shrugged not understanding where the Doctor was going with this.

"On the other door, too. No, a carving wouldn't be enough. I wonder." He ran a hand though his hair. "Rita" he turned to the girl. "Anything?"

"Might sound odd but maybe if you lick something" her voice trailed off getting quieter the more she spoke.

"Lick?" He started to pace around. "Lick, lick, lick, lick, lick," he said pacing back and forwards before stopping. "Oh I am very thick" he ran another hand though his hair. "You Rita Stone" he pointed at her grinning. "You are very, _very_ clever" he emphasised the word 'very'. He then added "and brilliant"

"No that was you" she protested. "I just gave you the secret hint"

"Still clever in my book" he winked running over to the door and licking it.

Rose scrunched up her nose at the sight. "Why is he licking the door?" She asked Rita.

"Viscum album," he announced "the oil of the mistletoe. It's been worked into the wood like a varnish. How clever was your dad?" He grinned at Robert "I love him."

"Aww I ship it Doctor x Sir Roberts father" Rita laughed joking the Doctor, Sir Robert and Rose scrunched up their faces in disgust at the thought and in slight confusion. "What? You said you loved him not me" she raised her hands up in defence the Doctor thought for a second and then tilted his head making the 'eh' face before continuing to explain.

"Powerful stuff, mistletoe. Bursting with lectins and viscotoxins."

"And the wolf thinks it's allergic to it?" Robert questioned.

"Well, it thinks it is. The monkey monk monks need a way of controlling the wolf," he thought aloud "maybe they trained it to react against certain things."

"Nevertheless, that creature won't give up, Doctor, and we still don't possess an actual weapon." Sir Robert pointed out.

The Doctor winced at the thought of weapons. "Oh, your father got all the brains, didn't he?"

"Being rude again" Rose chipped it crossing her arms.

"Good." Rita gave him a playful slap on the arm.

"Rude and not ginger, keep like that and you will never be ginger" she pointed at him in the face joking.

"I meant that one." He added not regretting what he said while grinning at the brunette, Rose just grinned at them both. "You want weapons? We're in a library." He ran to one of the cases filled with many different books of all shapes, sizes and thickness "Books! Best weapons in the world. This room's the greatest arsenal we could have." He placed his black rimmed glasses on his nose then picked up a few books throwing Rita and Rose one each. "Arm yourself."

"Biology, zoology. There might be something on wolves in here."

"Nope" Rita sighed crossing her arms.

"Aren't you going to help?" Rose raised a brow closing the book in her hands.

"I know what it is Rose, me going through these books is pointless. I can't tell you what that is, you four need to work it out yourselves." She sighed then muttered: "Sorry"

"Hold on, what about this?" The Doctor looked up. "A book on mistletoe." Rita grinned slightly moving over to stand beside the Doctor watching him scan through the book.

"A book on magic." Rose frowned joining them followed by Sir Robert.

"Some form of explosive." He mumbled looking at the Doctor.

"Hmm, that's the sort of thing." He hummed looking at the book intently.

"Wolf's bane, what about that?" Rose pointed to the words written on the page.

"Look what your old dad found. Something fell to Earth." He mumbled looking at Rita raising his brow at her. The brunette nodded back showing that he was on the right track to discovering what the wolf actually was or how to 'kill' it.

"A spaceship?" Rose questioned.

"Something like that" Rita nodded at the blonde then looking at the book again.

"A shooting star." Sir Robert said then began to read from the book. "In the year of our Lord 1540, under the reign of King James the Fifth, an almighty fire did burn in the pit." He blinked thinking for a moment. "That's the Glen of Saint Catherine just by the monastery."

"But that's over three hundred years ago. What's it been waiting for?" Rose asked crossing her arms.

"Maybe just a single cell survived. Adapting slowly down the generations, it survived through the humans, host after host after host."

"Like a virus except it isn't a virus" Rita chimed in the Doctor grinning at her comment.

"And you said you weren't clever" the Doctor grinned even more. Rita shook her head still denying her cleverness.

"But why does it want the throne?" Sir Robert interrupted the pair.

"That's what it wants. It said so. The Empire of the Wolf." said Rose.

"Imagine it." The Doctor removed his glasses placing them on the inside of his long brown coat. "The Victorian Age accelerated. Starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam, leaving history devastated in its wake"

Queen Victoria sighed "Sir Robert. If I am to die here-" She began getting interrupted by the man.

"Don't say that, Your Majesty."

She then continued despite his wish for her not to. "I would destroy myself rather than let that creature infect me. But that's no matter. I ask only that you find some place of safekeeping for something far older and more precious than myself."

"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables- ow!" he cried out feeling a sting on his arm.

"You have got to stop being so rude" Rita pointed up at him narrowing her eyes. "Pay attention shut up and listen, Doctor" she huffed then softened her face moving her left arm and resting it behind her identical to her right. "Please" The Doctor just stared at her with a blank expression, Rose bit on her bottom lip holding back a laugh at Rita and the Doctors expressions.

"Thank you for your opinion," Queen Victoria spoke sarcastically "but there is nothing more valuable than this." She brought out what looked like a stone at first but actually a diamond from her bag.

"Is that the Koh-I-Noor?" Rose asked her mouth gaping open.

"Oh, yes. The greatest diamond in the world." He groaned out a little feeling a slight jab in his left side where Rita was now standing.

He turned to the brunette who was on her tiptoes close to his ear. "That's' for not apologising to her," She whispered and then moved her gaze from the Doctor to Queen Victoria and nodded slightly "She's the Queen and will no doubt have you exiled if you keep on being rude and careless about them," she turned her gaze back to him. "There people Doctor, scared people who have already lost so many to that thing out there. The least you could do is try not to run around looking so ecstatic about the whole situation."

The Doctor blinked at her mini speech not taking his eyes off of the Queen and Sir Robert who were talking most likely about the diamond, he could see what they had been though in the night just with the expression on their faces. His own eyes softened and he nodded not looking at the brunette beside him. "Sorry" he mumbled.

"I'm not the one who you should be apologising to Doctor, " she said a little too harsh than she meant. "Sorry, that wasn't meant to be rude."

"Who's rude now?" he turned to her for the first time since she had told him off smirking at the brunette who grinned back at him a few freckles on her face popping out. She shook her head closing her eyes and sighing.

"How long have you had it?" Rita asked her grinning expression leaving her face as she turned to Queen Victoria.

"Given to me as the spoils of war. Perhaps it's legend is now coming true. It is said that whoever owns it must surely die."

"Well, that's true of anything if you own it long enough." he then looked at the Diamond before gesturing to it "Can I?"

The Queen nodded he walked over and she handed him the diamond, he held it carefully examining every inch of it. "That is so beautiful," he said in awe smiling at the impressive diamond in his hands.

"How much is that worth?" Rose asked also looking at the diamond.

"They say the wages of the entire planet for a whole week."

"Good job my mum's not here." Rose joked. "She'd be fighting the wolf off with her bare hands for that thing."

"And she'd win." she added.

"Still got to meet your mum" Rita grinned at the blonde "Wish I was there for Christmas could have met her then" Rita snorted at the thought.

"Where is the wolf?" Sir Robert piped up "I don't trust this silence."

Rita froze. _'How could I be so careless to forget? Uh, I was too busy telling the Doctor to stop being rude'_ she thought glancing at the Doctor narrowing her eyes at the man who was not watching her. "Doctor"

"Why do you travel with it?" The Doctor asked.

"Doctor"

"My annual pilgrimage. I'm taking it to Helier and Carew, the Royal Jewellers at Hazelhead. The stone needs recutting." The Queen replied both the Doctor and the rest of the people in the room ignoring the brunette.

"Oh, but it's perfect," Rose said in awe looking at the diamond.

"My late husband never thought so." the Queen sighed.

"Now, there's a fact." The Doctor began "Prince Albert kept on having the Koh-I-Noor cut down. It used to be forty percent bigger than this. But he was never happy. Kept on cutting and cutting."

"He always said the shine was not quite right. But he died with it still unfinished." Queen Victoria sighed thinking about her late husband.

"Unfinished. Oh, yes." The Doctor commented.

"Doctor" Rita spoke louder this time hoping to get the mans attention. However, he ignored the brunette throwing the diamond to Queen Victoria who caught it The Doctor then started to go on one of his rambles. _For saving millions of lives as well as planets he definitely is an idiot_ Rita thought gritting her teeth.

"There's a lot of unfinished business in this house. His father's research," he pointed to Sir Robert. "and your husband, Ma'am, he came here and he sought the perfect diamond." he stoped pacing around something the rest didn't realise he was doing. He ran a hand though his hair then held it up to hush the group which was already silent. "Hold on, hold on. All these separate things, they're not separate at all, they're connected." he then prodeced to hit his head with the bottom of his palm running another hand though his hair. "Oh, my head, my head. What if this house, it's a trap for you. Is that right, Ma'am?" He asked.

"Obviously."

"Doctor"

"At least, that's what the wolf intended." he continued ignoring the brunette yet again. "But, what if there's a trap inside the trap?"

"Explain yourself, Doctor." Queen Victoria demanded.

He then pointed to the Queen and Sir Robert "What if his father and your husband weren't just telling each other stories. They dared to imagine all this was true, and they planned against it, laying the real trap not for you but for the wolf."

"Doctor!" Rita shouted having enough of being ignored.

"No need to shout Rita I am right here"

"You kept ignoring me" she huffed. "And now it's too late more running I guess" she sighed. The Doctor walked over to her and scraped a finger on her shoulder collecting something he then rubbed it between his fingers.

"Dust" he mumbled and then looked up at the same time as the rest of the group. "That wolf there." The glasses then cracked making a slight echo in the silents of the room the Doctor's eyes widened in horror knowing that the wolf would fall right on top of them. "Out! Out! Out!" he shouted pushing Rose and Rita towards the door. The two along with Sir Robert and Queen Victoria flung the objects that were keeping the wolf out in different directions trying to allow access to exit the Libary they were now trapped in.

"Rita" the Doctor huffed moving a chair out of the way while the brunette moved another herself she looked over at him giving her attention. "Next time don't let me ignore you" he grabbed her hand as well as Rose's before she could reply and then ran out the room making sure Queen Victoria and Sir Robert were in front of them. Letting go of Rita's hand he shut the door on the wolf which was now in the room.

He turned and ran beside Rita turning left and running down a hall. "Your Majesty!" Sir Robert shouted as they ran.

"Get to the observatory!" The Doctor told them. As they continued to run. Roses turned around stopping and seeing the wolf behind her. She screamed out just before a liquid was thrown onto the wolf it howled out in pain and then ran in the direction it came in.

"Good shot." The Doctor commented moving out from behind Isobel and walked over with Rose and Rita to where the wolf headed.

"It was mistletoe." Lady Isobel informed them.

"Isobel!" Robert shouted pulling her into a kiss and then ordering her to head Back downstairs.

"Keep yourself safe." She told him.

"Now go." He ordered not promising her. Rita's face fell at the sight. ' _He never promised her...'_

"Girls, come with me. Down the back stairs, back to the kitchens. Quickly!" Isobel told the woman running in the direction of what Rita guessed was the kitchen.


	8. Tooth and Claw - Four

"Come on!" The Doctor ran back to Sir Robert, the Queen, Rose and Rita running through the hall where the woman had saved Rose's life. He turned a corner and sprinted up the stairs.

"The observatory's this way." Sir Robert told them taking the lead.

The five continued to run up the stairs following Sir Robert. "No mistletoe in these doors because your father wanted the wolf to get inside." The Doctor pointed out running into the room then stopping. "I just need time. Is there any way of barricading this?" he asked gesturing to the door.

"Just do your work and I'll defend it." Sir Robert made the quick decision.

"If we could bind them shut with rope or something." he suggested running back to the man knowing what he was thinking of doing, the five then heard the wolf howl getting close to them.

"I said I'd find you time," Robert repeated "Sir. Now get inside."

"Good man." The Doctor patted his shoulder proudly, Rita stood by the TimeLord looking at Sir Robert sadly, he was risking his life for his Queen and country, did he blame himself for this? For not warning the Queen? Most likely, should he? No definitely not Rita couldn't stop thinking about it as the Doctor pulled her away, into the observatory.

"Your Majesty, the diamond." The Doctor gestured to the diamond inside of the Queens bag, Rose stood by frowning not understanding what was going on. Rita, on the other hand, stood not paying attention, her mind elsewhere silently grieving over the people lost tonight and the people to be lost in her future.

"For what purpose?" Queen Victoria frowned although she complained bringing out the diamond and handing it to the Doctor.

"The purpose it was designed for."

"Rose." the Doctor ran to the controls of the telescope which began to rise. He pointed at the controls, "lift it. Come on."

"Is this the right time for stargazing?" Rose asked sarcastically not understanding why the Doctor was doing this.

"Yes, it is." He said back, "Rita stand here" he pointed next to Rose not noticing the plain empty look on the brunette's face, nothing like the ecstatic jumpy look she girl normally had.

"You said this thing doesn't work." Rose pointed out to the Doctor snipping the wheel on the controls moving the telescope up further and further.

"It doesn't work as a telescope because that's not what it is." He explained "It's a light chamber. It magnifies the light rays like a weapon. We've just got to power it up."

"It won't work. There's no electricity. Moonlight. But the wolf needs moonlight. It's made by moonlight." Rose spoke not having very much faith in the Doctors plan. Yet she continued to do as he said.

"You're seventy percent water but you can still drown." he pointed out as if his plan was very simple and clear however to Rose and most likely Rita when she was 'watching' the episode they didn't understand. "Come on! Come on!" The Doctor shouted just as the wolf broke into the room. The Doctor then slid the diamon under the telescope lens which caused a bright light to bounce inside it getting larger and larger the further down. The wolf charged over to Queen Victoria as the light hit the floor then reflecting upwards coming into contact with the wolf which howled in pain and then slowly rose from the floor. An outline of the wolf was left mid air in the bright light before it changed into a young man.

"Make it brighter. Let me go." the wolf/man whispered. The Doctor compelled to the wolfs wishes brightening the light and setting the creature free causing it to change back into the wolf and then howl before vanishing the light following its path.

"Your Majesty? Did it bite you?" the Doctor spoke concerned slowly walking over to the Queen.

"No, it's, it's a cut, that's all." she denied. the Doctor knowing different pressed on with the subject.

"If that thing bit you"

"It was a splinter of wood when the door came apart. It's nothing." she waved the subject off. The Doctor, however, continued to press on slowly moving over to the Queen.

"Let me see." he ordered more than asked.

"It is nothing." Queen Victoria snapped her arm away, a scold on her face. "I'm perfectly fine.

"Ok then" the Doctor nodded finally letting the subject go.

Rita, the Doctor and Rose were all kneeled down before the Queen and those who remained in the house. Queen Victoria herself held a sword and began to speak what looked like a knighting.

"By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Sir Doctor of Tardis." she stood before the Doctor placing the sword on both of his shoulders then standing back. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Dame Rose of the Powell Estate." She repeated the gesture and then once again for Rita who looked at the Doctor and Rose smiling. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee Dame Rita of another world." she then finished stepping back "You may stand."

"Many thanks, Ma'am." The Doctor nodded smiling

"Thanks. They're never going to believe this back home." Rose grinned.

"Your Majesty, you said last night about receiving no message from the great beyond. I think your husband cut that diamond to save your life. He's protecting you even now, Ma'am, from beyond the grave."

"Indeed. Then you may think on this also." She paused and then added, "That I am not amused."

"Yes!" Rose beamed throwing a fit into the air.

"Not remotely amused." the Queen continued "And henceforth I banish you Sir Doctor and Dame Rose." The TimeLord and Rose frowned in confusion.

"I'm sorry?" the Doctor spoke up.

"I rewarded you, Sir Doctor, and now you are exiled from this empire, never to return." she began to explain. "I don't know what you are, the two of you, or where you're from, but I know that you consort with stars and magic and think it fun Dame Rita here warned you many times." the Queen smiled a little at Rita who bowed her head back. "But you did not listen to these warning, your world is steeped in terror and blasphemy and death, and I will not allow it. You will leave this shores and you will reflect, I hope, on how you came to stray so far from all that is good, and how much longer you will survive this terrible life, maybe dame Rita can bring you back to the good she is trying and I very much respect that." Rita just continued to smile which then sadly dropped remembering the course of last night. "Last night her face showed sadness, grief and lost, yours did not Sir Doctor. Now leave my world, and never return." She finally finished her speech and then adding after a moment of silence. "God help you Dame Rita"

"I'm sorry-" the Doctor began to speak. The three sat on the back of a cart which was carrying them back to the TARDIS.

"Don't" Rita stopped him holding up her hand. "I'm fine really" she smiled sadly. "I couldn't stop it and I know that, it would have unknown horrible repercussions not just on this world but possibly mine and other worlds as well," Rita spoke her voice soft yet harsh holding onto the tears which she could feel slowly forming in her eyes. Rita wasn't one to cry very much but after seeing Isobel's face when she was getting knighted compared to the Doctor and Rose she felt guilty and upset.

"I know how you feel Rita I can help-"

"That's the thing Doctor" she turned to him, a tear slowly making its way down her face escaping her glassy watery eyes. "You have no idea who I am or how I am even here" she waved her hands around gesturing to everywhere. "I have no idea what I am doing here and honestly it scares me. I know the future and there are things I can't stop or change and it hurts knowing the future" she sighed "I'll learn, though" gulping back the tears she looked up at him then moved her gaze over to Rose sitting beside her the blonde took her hand and smiled sadly. "Because if I want to find out why I am here then I might as well try to learn how to help." she smiled a little, not a sad smile but a genuine smile.

"I shouldn't have been careless and actually listened to you" the Doctor sighed. "At least I now know what to do." he grinned lighting the mood a little.

"Even you make mistakes every now and then." Rita joked chuckling a little.

"They say 'it's human to make mistakes', I guess you could also say that 'it's Time Lord to make mistakes' as well" Rose and Rita shook their heads at the silly comment.

The three traveled to the TARDIS chatting and watching the senary from the back of the cart the mood was brighter as the Doctor and his companions joked. He didn't forget about her or the Queens words for a single moment. _'Her face showed sadness, grief and lost, yours did not Sir Doctor'_ He didn't even notice it. Too busy showing off as always but why? How could he not notice sure he didn't know the brunette for long but it troubled him that it didn't even cross his mind. not to mention her comment. _'You have no idea who I am'_ He sighed at the thought knowing it was very well true, Rita had only been traveling with the Doctor and Rose for just over a two weeks and honestly he didn't know very much about her, she kept quiet about most of her life apart from hobbies and where she lived he knew that her parents were not alive but didn't know what or how they were no longer living. _I will find out Rita Stone._ He thought to himself jumping of the cart with Rita and Rose when it came to a stop.

"Cheers, Dougal!" the Doctor waved at the man walking towards the small blue figure which was the TARDIS in the distance.

"Walk on."

"No, but the funny thing is, Queen Victoria did actually suffer a mutation of the blood." the Doctor explain to the girls. "It's historical record. She was haemophiliac. They used to call it the Royal Disease. But it's always been a mystery because she didn't inherit it. Her mum didn't have it, her dad didn't have it. It came from nowhere."

"What, and you're saying that's a wolf bite?" Rose questioned. Rita nodded in response the Doctor explained it.

"Well, maybe haemophilia is just a Victorian euphemism."

"For werewolf?" Rose raised a brow.

"Could be."

"Queen Victoria's a werewolf?" Rose laughed at the though.

"Don't forget the rest of them" Rita snorted

"Could be. And her children had the Royal Disease. Maybe she gave them a quick nip." the Doctor joked while they continued to walk towards the TARDIS which was now quite close.

"So, the Royal Family are werewolves?" Rose double checked.

"Well, maybe not yet. I mean, a single wolf cell could take a hundred years to mature. Might be ready by, oh, early 21st century?"

"You're just saying that to be clever." Rita rolled her eyes. "Yes, they are werewolves Rose" Rita confirmed.

"Nah, that's just ridiculous!" she waved it off then thought for a moment. "Mind you, Princess Anne."

"I'll say no more." the Doctor grinned.

"And if you think about it, they're very private." she widened her eyes "They plan everything in advance. They could schedule themselves around the moon." she started to laugh. "We'd never know."

"They also enjoy hunting" Rita spoke up laughing along with the blonde the Doctor opened the TARDIS door he then walked in and held it open for the girls.

"They love blood sports. Oh my God, they're werewolves!" Rose concluded.

"God that's making me shiver at the thought of a wolf running the country. Very clever though" Rita nodded holding her arms and shivering. "Imagine if someone was to find out! No country would trust us again" Rita chuckled leaning against the console.

"Best not tell anyone then" the Doctor winked and then started to play with the console. The TARDIS then dematerialised the three burst out laughing at their conclusion on the Queen and the Royal family being werewolves.


	9. School Reunion

"Good morning, class. Are we sitting comfortably?" the Doctor grinned while Rita groaned at the cringe of what he just said. He gave a playful glare at her after noticing the expression on her face and her body shivered, he then turned to the board proceeding to grab a pen and write large letters onto the white board.

 _'Why did I agree to this?'_ she thought. ' _I could be in the kitchen with Rose, instead, I'm stuck in a classroom... again.'_ Rita quietly groaned.

The Doctor turned back around to the class of kids that did not look like they were enjoying the class at all. _'Honestly, I feel for you kids'_ Rita thought. _I'm stuck pretending to be his teaching assistant. Great now I'm talking to myself it's year ten of school all over again.'_ She sighed

"So, physics. Physics, eh?" The Doctor began, pacing around the front of the desk then stopped next to Rita. "Physics. Physics. Physics!" he grinned at her then continued to ramble. "Physics. Physics, physics, physics, physics, physics, physics, physics." He then stopped. "I hope one of you is getting all this down."

"I'm most definitely not" Rita mumbled rolling her eyes the Doctor just continued grinning at her.

 _'So he's enjoying this? Time Lord don't make me shave your hair off in your sleep, oh how Rose would kill me if I did that.'_ She chuckled at bit knowing that the blonde loved the Doctors hair even though she didn't know Rita knew that.

"Okay let's see what you know." the Doctor spoke snapping Rita back into reality. "Two identical strips of nylon are charged with static electricity and hung from a string so they can swing freely. What would happen if they were brought near each other?" he asked the class which were clearly bored, silent and not moving much like zombies who just couldn't move. Apart from one boy who's arm flew into the air. Rita grinned moving her head up in his direction.

"Yes, er, what's your name?" the Doctor asked the boy who looked pretty nerdy with thick glasses, not that Rita was judging or anything but he did look stereotypically like a young nerd that was constantly bullied.

"Milo." he replied placing his arm back on the table.

"Milo! Off you go." the Doctor smiled glad someone was paying attention.

"They'd repel each other because they have the same charge," Milo answered getting the question correct.

"Correctamundo!"

Rita scrunched up her nose. The Doctor noticed then added: "A word I have never used before and hopefully never will again."

"I agree never, ever say that word again."

"If you wish" he grinned then continued to question the class "Question two. I coil up a thin piece of microwire and place it in a glass of water." he emphasised the word water making Rita chuckle. "Then I turn on the electricity and measure to see if the water's temperature is affected. My question is this. How do I measure the electrical power going into the coil?"

The young boy's hand shot up again, not even Rita knew the answer to that and she got an A+ in GCSE physics not that she liked to boast about it. The Doctor looked around at the bored zombie-like students.

"Someone else." He looked around the silent room and then pursed his lips "No? Okay, Milo, go for it." he nodded to the boy.

"Measure the current and PDs in an ammeter and a voltmeter."

"Two to Milo." The Doctor looked around the class once again. No one was paying any attention, he looked over to Rita who frowned at the class.

She never understood why the rest of the students apart from Milo were actually silent and extremely bored it was never mentioned in the 'episode' to her memory.

The Doctor placed his hand next to his mouth so the class could not see what he was saying and then mouthed over to her. 'Anything?' the brunette shrugged then mouthed back 'I don't know this sorry, try asking some more questions' she shrugged not being much help yet giving him a secret without making it too obvious. She generally had no idea with as to what was wrong with all the students, she knew about the chips and why they were smart but not the zombieness.

"Right then, Milo," the Doctor turned back to the boy following Rita's advice "tell me this. True or false. The greater the dampening of the system, the quicker it loses energy to its surroundings."

"False."

"What is non-coding DNA?" the Doctor countered.

"DNA that doesn't code for a protein." he fired back. Rita moved her eyes from the Doctor to the boy as if she was watching a tennis match.

"Sixty-five thousand nine hundred and eighty-three times five?"

"Three hundred and twenty-nine thousand nine hundred and fifteen," he said automatically without thinking. The Doctor frowned.

"How do you travel faster than light?"

"By opening a quantum tunnel with an FTL factor of thirty-six point seven recurring." the Doctor blinked, his jaw dropped and he watched the boy then turned to Rita her expression mimicking his.

The Doctor and Rita were standing in the line of the canteen for lunch, an hour or so after the event with Milo. The canteen was silent to Rita and the Doctor's amazement.

Rita never expected it to actually be so quiet in the hall except for the sound of feet moving on the floor. They collected their food the Doctor grinning at Rose dressed as a dinner lady who looked extremely pissed. Rita sent the blonde a warm smile as she collected her food and followed the Doctor to a table.

"How was that possible?" Rita whispered sitting down next to the Doctor, feeling the silents a little unnerving. She pushed her plate aside not wanting to touch the krillitane oiled chips.

"You have the foreknowledge" he smirked pointing it out and raising a brow.

"Trying to get you thinking, you can be a little thick at times" she chuckled leaning back on her chair and crossing her arms.

"Oh really?" He raised a brow again.

"Really" Rita nodded. "So what do you think it is?" She stopped leaning on her chair and leant forward resting her elbow on the table holding her head up.

"Well something is definitely odd here"

"No kidding" Rita chuckled again. "Seriously, though. Ideas?"

"Why don't we ask the dinner lady?" he smirked noticing Rose heading their way.

"Two days," Rose spoke through gritted her teeth once she reached the table.

"Sorry, could you just?" the Doctor pointed to part of the table with a fork in his hand. "There's a bit of gravy." Rose sighed rolling her eyes and started to wipe where he supposedly pointed. "No, no, just, just there." he pointed a little to the left. Rita grinned shaking her head and hitting his arm a little.

"Two days, we've been here." Rose continued.

"Blame your boyfriend." The Doctor argued making an odd face at Rita when he swallowed a chip.

 _'Now you're noticing it.'_

"He's the one who put us onto this. And he was right." He turned to Rita who nodded in agreement. "Boy in class this morning, got knowledge way beyond planet Earth."

"You eating those chips?" Rose asked changing the subject.

"Nope" Rita answered.

"Yeah, they're a bit different." he frowned at Rita.

"Yeah, I tried one" Rita lied not wanting to touch the chips at all, she knew they were harmless except for gaining some knowledge but still didn't want them. "Didn't like them at all"

"I think they're gorgeous." Rose stole a few of the Doctors chips. Rita chuckled and pushed her plate to the other side of the table, allowing her to take her own since she wasn't going to be eating them anytime soon. Rose grinned and sat down opposite Rita. "Wish I had school dinners like this." She said with a mouth stuffed full of chips.

"It's very well behaved, this place." The Doctor looked around the room at the quiet students.

"I was just thinking that" Rita agreed.

"Mmm." Rose hummed unable to speak through her mouth filled up to the brim with chips.

"I thought there'd be happy-slapping hoodies. Happy slapping hoodies with ASBOs. Happy slapping hoodies with ASBOs and ringtones. Huh? Huh?" Rita shook her head disapprovingly. "Oh, yeah. Don't tell me I don't fit in."

"You don't fit in," Rita smirked at the Doctor who just smirked back at the brunette who then shook her head after a few seconds and looked behind Rose's head to see a rather angry dinner lady walking up to them. "Heads up" she mumbled. Rose pushed the plate back to her and short daggers at the pair who bite their lips holding in a grin.

"You are not permitted to leave your station during a sitting."

"I was just talking to this teacher and teaching assistant." Rita groaned a little, in her opinion 'companion' was bad enough but assistant. No thank you.

"Hello." the Doctor smiled up at the dinner lady not looking the slightest bit amused.

"He doesn't like the chips." Rose mocked.

"The menu has been specifically designed by the headmaster to improve concentration and performance." The dinner lady said slightly angry.

 _'No it's just the oil'_ Rita thought smiling to herself.

The dinner lady then directed her attention to Rose "Now, get back to work."

"See? This is me. Dinner lady." Rose spun around walking back towards the kitchen.

"I'll have the crumble." The Doctor joked.

"Make that two" Rita joined in raising a finger in the air.

"I'm so going to kill you two." she sighed walking off.

Rita noticed out the corner of her eye that one of the maths teachers which she knew to be a krillitane had walked up to one of the tables seating a few students, she lightly hit the Doctors arm trying not to make it not too obvious for Mr Finch who Rita know fully well was watching the canteen from above. Rita got his attention just as the maths teacher began to talk.

"Melissa. You'll be joining my class for the next period. Milo's failed me," Rita looked over to the Doctor who frowned continuing to watch the teacher. "So it's time we moved you up to the top class." he turned to the boy Rita remembered as Kenny, the boy who helped save the world. "Kenny, not eating the chips?"

"I'm not allowed." he answered placing an empty packet of crisps in his sandwich box.

"Luke. Extra class. Now." The teacher walked off out of the canteen.

"That was odd" the Doctor stated, turning away from the dinner table to Rita.

After lunch, the Doctor and Rita headed to the staff room to do some exploring and 'investigating' before the next lesson began. The staff room held a few teachers sitting at a table chatting and a few standing around the room. The pair were talking to a teacher about how surprisingly clever the students were.

"Yesterday, I had a twelve-year-old girl give me the exact height of the Walls of Troy in cubits." he explained to them both.

"And, it's ever since the new headmaster arrived?"

"Finch arrived three months ago." he told the Doctor "Next day, half the staff got flu. Finch replaced them with that lot," he gestured over to some teachers at the other side of the staff room. Rita shivered a little then turned back trying not to draw attention to herself. "Except for the teacher you replaced," the teacher nodded to the Doctor "and that was just plain weird, her winning the lottery like that."

"How's that weird?" the Doctor asked.

"She never played. Said the ticket was posted through her door at midnight, and her teacher assistant was sacked except she did nothing wrong worked her for 5 years with no warnings or anything then she just goes."

"Hmm. The world is very strange."

"Sometimes I wonder if it's a little too strange" Rita chipped in. The door behind them then opened revealing the headmaster with a woman Rita knew from the 'show' as Sarah Jane Smith, Rita couldn't help but smile at the woman she noticed that the Doctor was also beaming away.

"Excuse me, colleagues." Mr Finch spoke up attracting everyone's attention his way. "A moment of your time. May I introduce Miss Sarah Jane Smith." He gestured to Sarah Jane. "Miss Smith is a journalist who's writing a profile about me for the Sunday Times. I thought it might be useful for her to get a view from the trenches, so to speak. Don't spare my blushes." The headmaster then left.

 _'Actually, she's investigating you lot.'_

Sarah Jane walked towards the Doctor and Rita after Finch exited the staff room. "Hello." she smiled.

"Oh, I should think so." the Doctor tried to contain his smiled which wasn't working so well.

"Lovely to meet you" Rita smiled shaking Sarah Janes hand.

"And, you are?" Sarah Jane smiled.

"Rita Stone" the brunette answered.

"Hm? Er, Smith. John Smith." Rita rolled her eyes making sure Sarah Jane didn't notice.

 _'Someone has a crush'_ Rita jokingly thought to herself.

"John Smith." Sarah Jane thought for a moment. "I used to have a friend who sometimes went by that name."

"Well, it's a very common name."

Sarah countered: "He was a very uncommon man, I also knew someone who went by "Rita Stone sometimes." She smiled a little, Rita frowned slightly but shrugged it off as a coincidence. "Nice to meet you both."

"Nice to meet you." The Doctors grin grew. "Yes, very nice. More than nice. Brilliant."

Sarah Jane looked a little concerningly at the way he was looking at her. "Er, so, er, have you both worked here long?" She asked Rita and The Doctor.

"No. Er, it's only my second day." The Doctor replied.

"Same for me" Rita added crossing her arms.

"Oh, you're new, then. So, what do you think of the school? I mean, this new curriculum?" She asked. "So many children getting ill. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"Hmm" Rita nodded. "Very odd"

"You don't sound like someone just doing a profile." the Doctor pointed out grinning to himself proudly.

"Well, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here."

"No. Good for you." the Doctor mumbled. Sarah Jane then began to walk away heading towards other teachers. "Good for you. Oh, good for you, Sarah Jane Smith."

"God I'm surprised you didn't scare her" Rita rolled her eyes whispering quietly so the woman wouldn't hear. "You're like the Cheshire cat with that grin is just scary." She told him he looked at her shaking his head, "like it's giving me the creeps."

The Doctor looked around then began to whisper a little. "So being on a Dalek ship doesn't creep you out but my grin does?" he raised a brow smirking.

"How do you know I wasn't scared? I didn't have foreknowledge of that Doctor, I was terrified." Rita admitted whispering as well. "Always good to be a little scared, though? Right Doctor?"

"Right" he nodded in agreement. They both left the staff room to head back to the Physics class for another long lesson before the end of the day.

Rose shuddered a little holding her elbows while following the Doctor into the school entrance "Oh, it's weird seeing school at night. It just feels wrong. When I was a kid, I used to think all the teachers slept in school."

"I know someone who used to think that. Told them all that there were secretly bats that lived in the roof" Rita joked making a reference to the actual 'episode'

"All right, team." The Doctor turned to Rose, Rita and Mickey "Oh, I hate people who say, team."

"You hate yourself?" Rita raised a brow. "Sorry continue"

"Er, gang. Er, comrades. Anyway," he began to instruct everyone. "Rose, Rita, go to the kitchen. Get a sample of that oil. Mickey, the new staff are all Maths teachers. Go and check out the Maths department. I'm going to look in Finch's office. Be back here in ten minutes." The Doctor then walked off leaving the three standing in the entrance.

"You going to be all right?" Rose looked at Mickey with a face

"Me?" he looked at Rose offendedly "Please. Infiltration and investigation? I'm an expert at this." he began to walk off.

"Says the one who walked off in the wrong direction," Rita said under her breath. Mickey then shortly returned looking like an idiot.

"Where's the Maths department?"

Rose pointed down the corridor in the opposite direction. "Down there, turn left, through the fire doors, on the right."

"Thank you." he then walked in the correct direction.

"Let's go and find that oil" Rita smiled at the blonde as they both began to walk down the corridor.

The Doctor walked down the dark school hallway heading towards the TARDIS.

"Hello, Sarah Jane." said the Doctor in a monotone voice, Sarah Jane spun around her eyes wide.

"It's you. Oh, Doctor Oh, my God," she clasped a hand over her mouth "it's you, isn't it. You've regenerated." She smiled.

"Yeah. Half a dozen times since we last met."

"You look incredible." She spoke in shock.

"So do you."

"Huh. I got old." She denied the compliment. "What are you doing here?" Sarah Jane then asked.

"Well, UFO sighting, school gets record results. I couldn't resist. What about you?" He smiled at her proudly.

"The same." she then frowned. "I thought you'd died. I waited for you and you didn't come back, and I thought you must have died."

"I lived. Everyone else died," he said sadly looking down at the ground. "Everyone but her..." Hew sighed trailing off as Sarah Janer frowned. "Well, that's a lie in itself."

"What do you mean?" a frown formed on Sarah Janes face, she was confused with what he meant.

"Everyone died, Sarah."

"I can't believe it's you," Sarah Jane said again. The pair then snapped their heads in the direction of a high-pitched female scream.

"Okay, now I can!" she chuckled the pair both ran in the direction of the scream.


	10. School Reunion - Two

"What was that?" Rose asked running in the direction of the scream her and Rita also heard.

"Your boyfriend" Rita chuckled also running in the direction.

They ran in the direction and then bumped into Sarah Jane and the Doctor. "Great now this turns into a soap opera" Rita groaned. "I'm not getting into this" she held her hands up in defence. The Doctor raised a brow.

"Did you hear that?" Rose asked the Doctor then noticed Sarah Jane. "Who's she?"

"Rose, Sarah Jane. Sarah Jane, Rose." he introduced them.

"Should have known you were going to be here" Sarah Jane chuckled talking to Rita. "Lovely to see you again"

"Same with you Sarah Jane" Rita chuckled, Sarah Jane then turned to Rose "Hi. Nice to meet you." She then looked over at the Doctor "You can tell you're getting older. Your assistants are getting younger." Rita rolled her eyes at the comment. "No offence?" Sarah Jane stopped obviously forgetting the girl's name.

"Rita" the brunette smiled.

"Sorry not good with names"

"Neither am I" Rita agreed.

"I'm not his assistant," Rose commented sounding pissed off. "Can someone tell me what's going on?"

"Met Sarah Jane in the staff room earlier today. "Love your work by the way" Rita grinned while Sarah Jane frowned.

"Foreknowledge" The Doctor informed her. "She knows my future."

"And you're past. Also a little about Sarah Jane. I'm from the future he would probably call it a 'Parallel world'" she used her fingers as speech marks. "I'm human 100% human but somehow I ended up on a Dalek ship and met these two" She pointed at the Doctor and Rose with her thumb after telling the basic information.

"Sounds impossible." Sarah Jane smiled.

"He likes impossible" Rita grinned.

"Where is Mickey?" Rose crossed her arms getting annoyed that she was basically being ignored.

"Good question" the Doctor praised. "Let's go find out" he then ran down the hall followed by Rose, Rita ran beside Sarah Jane who was chatting to her while they ran.

"So you're from the future and a parallel world?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Yeah, in my world this" she gestured to everything around her as they ran. "Is just a TV show, kind of like Sherlock, ooh I wonder if there is a parallel universe where Sherlock is real" she thought out loud while chuckling.

"And you just turned up?" She asked.

"Pretty much yeah, you could call me 'the impossible girl' but there is already one of those" They continued to run and then stopped outside a room where Mickey was standing in front of a load of bags.

"Sorry! Sorry, it was only me." He held his hands up. "You told me to investigate, so I started looking through some of these cupboards and all of these fell on me."

"Oh, my God," Rose gasped holding a hand over her mouth. "They're rats. Dozens of rats. Vacuum packed rats."

"And you decided to scream." The Doctor raised a brow.

"It took me by surprise!" Mickey defended himself.

"Like a little girl?" he mocked Mickey.

"It was dark! I was covered in rats!" Mickey protested his voice raising a little.

"Nine, maybe ten years old. I'm seeing pigtails, frilly skirt."

"So I am" Rita joined in laughing.

"Hello, can we focus?" Rose groaned. "Does anyone notice anything strange about this? Rats in school?"

"Well, obviously they use them in Biology lessons." Rita nodded agreeing with Sarah Jane. "They dissect them. Or maybe you haven't reached that bit yet. How old are you?"

"Excuse me, no one dissects rats in school anymore." Rose spat in annoyance. "They haven't done that for years. Where are you from, the dark ages?" She sassed.

"I dissected rats in year eleven of school and I'm from the future" Rita defended Sarah Jane. "Ah the digestive system, fun times."

"Anyway, moving on." The Doctor scratched the back of his neck not enjoying the arguing. "Everything started when Mister Finch arrived. We should go and check his office." They left the bags of rats and headed for the headmasters office.

"They're not going to stop arguing," Rita whispered to the Doctor.

"They will work it out-"

"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but who exactly are you?" Rose turned to Sarah Jane.

"Hopefully" He groaned in annoyance.

"They will" Rita smiled then slowed down to walk beside Sarah Jane and Rose.

"Sarah Jane Smith. I used to travel with the Doctor." Sarah Jane said proudly.

"Oh. Well, he's never mentioned you." Rose smugly grinned.

"Oh, I must've done." The Doctor frowned thinking. "Sarah Jane. Mention her all the time."

"Hold on." Rose thought for a moment. "Sorry. Never."

"What, not even once?" Sarah Jane looked at the Doctor not believing a word Rose was saying. "He didn't mention me even once?"

"Ho, ho, mate. The missus and the ex." Mickey patted the Doctors shoulder. "Welcome to every man's worst nightmare."

"God Mickey you don't know what to keep yourself quiet" Rita rolled her eyes.

The group walked the rest of the way in silence, Rita could see Rose and Sarah Jane giving each other dirty looks. ' _If they don't stop soon I'm going to have to do something to at least get the comments to stop.'_ Rita groaned not wanting to take sides with either of the companions since she very much loved them both. _No_ Rita thought _Not getting involved, not getting involved, I'm not getting involved._ She repeated in her head over and over to stop herself and to block out the dreary silence.

The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to unlock the door to Mr Finches office, the buzz of the screwdriver being the only sound in the school.

"Rita," the Doctor said breaking the 3 minutes or so of silence. "You know you used to say that there were bats in the school? You were right."

Mickey looking in the room turned and ran out. "No way!" Mickey shouted sprinting in the opposite direction of the headmaster's office, heading for the entrance to escape the school, Rose then followed after him not running as fast, however.

The Doctor and Rita looked at each other for a moment before he closed the door and walked in the direction that Mickey had run in moments before.

"What was that?" Sarah Jane asked following the Doctor and Rita.

"Rita?" The Doctor raised a brow.

"Secret: It's alien" She grinned.

"Well, I guessed that?" He rolled his eyes. "You are hard work sometimes."

"Can't give you all the answers. Would be no fun otherwise" Rita grinned smugly. "But seriously you might want to check the oil"

The Doctor nodded as the three walked out of the school.

"I am not going back in there. No way." Mickey panted arching over and holding his knees to support his weight.

"Those were teachers," Rose said in disbelief.

"Thirteen" Rita mumbled.

"When Finch arrived," the Doctor started to talk "he brought with him seven new teachers, four dinner ladies and a nurse. Thirteen. Thirteen big bat people."

"And a TARDIS in a school" Rita chuckled. "No? Seriously it reminded me of the twelve days of Christmas the TARDIS was all I could think of" Rita shrugged.

"Come on." The Doctor turned around, Sarah Jane followed along with Rose heading back into the school.

"Come on? You've got to be kidding!" Mickey said in shock.

"I need the Tardis. I've got to analyse that oil from the kitchen."

"I might be able to help you there. I've got something to show you."

"Now this is where I start to enjoy myself" Rita mumbled following Sarah Jane to a car.

Sarah Jane opened the boot to her car showing the shape of something under a white sheet.

"May I?" Rita looked at Sarah Jane who nodded smiling. Rita grinned and then dramatically pulled the sheet away showing a damaged metal dog sitting in the boot.

"K9!" said the Doctor excitedly. "Rita Stone, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, allow me to introduce K9. well, K9 Mark Three to be precise."

"Why does he look so disco?" Rose frowned not looking very impressed.

"Oi!" he looked offended. "Listen, in the year five thousand, this was cutting edge."

"K9 is cool, just like bowties and Fezzes" Rita grinned the Doctor looked at her confused.

"Bowties?" He questioned.

"Fezzes?" Sarah Jane also questioned the brunette most likely thinking she was going crazy, which to be fair knowing the outcome of everything going to happen was making her a little odd.

"Don't worry it's secrets." She shook her head and began to pat K9

The Doctor then asked: "What's happened to him?"

"Oh, one day, he just, nothing."

"Well, didn't you try and get him repaired? " He questioned as if it was just as simple as that.

"Well, it's not like getting parts for a Mini Metro, Beside, the technology inside him could rewrite human science. I couldn't show him to anyone."

"Ooh, what's the nasty lady done to you, eh?" he scratched K9 behind the what would be the ear and spoke to the metal dog as if he was real. Rita snorted at the way he was talking. Sarah Jane then began to pet him as well.

"Look, no offence," Rose huffed feeling left out. "But could you three just stop petting for a minute? Never mind the tin dog. We're busy."

"She has a point" Rita sighed. "Can you fix him?" Rita looked up at the Doctor suggesting a secret which he grinned understanding what she meant.

The group were in a chip shops Rita, Rose and Mickey were standing waiting for the chips to be ready for collection while the Doctor and Sarah Jane were talking while fixing K9 "You see, what's impressive" Mickey began and Rita groaned a little knowing what he was going to say. "I s that it's been nearly an hour since we met her and I still haven't said I told you so."

"I'm not listening to this." Rose put her hands up.

"You and me both" Rita groaned.

"Although, I have prepared a little I was right dance that I can show you later." Mickey continued. Rose handed the money to the woman and collected the chips. "All this time you've been giving it, he's different, when the truth is, he's just like any other bloke." Mickey pressed on with the subject.

"Mickey you have no idea what you're going on about." Rita began to lecture him having had enough of the topic. "The Doctor isn't just 'like any other bloke' he's 900 or so years old for goodness sake I don't know why Sarah Jane and Rose are making it a competition over the Doctor but getting involved isn't going to help."

"Mickey, you don't know what you're talking about." Rose sided with Rita not denying the competitive comment made by the brunette.

"Maybe not. But if I were you I'd go easy on the chips." Rose paused noticing she was throwing a chip in her mouth almost every second.

"I'm going over to them, maybe they won't argue" Rita sighed walking over to the Doctor and Sarah Jane.

"I thought of you on Christmas Day." Rita heard the woman talking. "This Christmas just gone? Great big spaceship overhead. I thought, oh yeah, bet he's up there." Rita grinned.

"I saw it well probably not everything but most of it. Lazy Time Lord was too busy sleeping because he saved Rose and had to regenerate. So Rose, Mickey and the prime minister had to do his dirty work. That was until he woke up started to mimic the Sycorax, start to sword fight it then gets his hand cut off and then grown a 'fightin' hand'" She copied how the Doctor said it in the 'episode' "That sum it up Doctor?"

"Pretty much yeah" he smiled shaking his head "You wasn't even there"

"And Rose?" Sarah Jane asked.

"She was there."

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked him. "Because you never came back for me. You just dumped me."

"I told you. I was called back home and in those days humans weren't allowed," he replied.

"I waited for you." She then paused. "I missed you." Rita's face fell for the woman, she saw many of the Doctors companions get 'left behind' Some because they had no choice, they forgot him and some needed to get out.

"Oh, you didn't need me." he shrugged at her. "You were getting on with your life."

"You were my life." she sighed. "You know what the most difficult thing was? Coping with what happens next, or with what doesn't happen next. You took me to the furthest reaches of the galaxy, you showed me supernovas, intergalactic battles, and then you just dropped me back on Earth." She then asked an impossible question to answer, yet the Doctor had an answer every time. "How could anything compare to that?"

"All those things you saw, do you want me to apologise for that?" He asked.

"No," Sarah Jane said quickly. "But we get a taste of that splendour and then we have to go back."

"Look at you, you're investigating. You found that school. You're doing what we always did."

"You could have come back." she pressed on.

"I couldn't."

"Why not?" He ignored her question as if it never happened, continuing to work on and mess around with K9 Rita looked at her with sympathy understanding what she was going through even when she had never gone through it herself. Sarah Jane looked at her and smiled sadly thinking that one day that would be Rita and Rose just left or taken away Rita would most likely go back to her universe and never see the Doctor again. Rose would probably go back home.

"It wasn't Croydon. Where you dropped me off, that wasn't Croydon." Sarah Jane spoke up. Rita chuckled rolling her eyes.

"That sounds like something he would do"

"Where was it?" he asked sending a playful glare at Rita.

"Aberdeen."

"Right. That's next to Croydon, isn't it?" he asked obviously knowing that it definitely was not.

"God help you in my old geography class," Rita muttered just as K9 came on lighting up and moving his head.

"Oh, hey. Now we're in business." the Doctor stepped back watching the metal dog.

"Master." He spoke in what Rita though was an adorable voice.

"He recognises me." The Doctor beamed in amazement.

"Affirmative."

"He's adorable" Rita smiled patting K9's head.

"Rose, give us the oil." he gestured to her not turning back from the metal dog.

"I wouldn't touch it, though." She said walking over and handing a small pot filled with the oil. "That dinner lady got all scorched."

"I'm no dinner lady. And I don't often say that." He stuck a finger into the pot and collected some of the oil then smeared it on K9's probe sticking out of his head.

"Yeah add that to long list of words you will never say again, right under 'correctamundo'"

He finished smearing the oil on while playfully glaring at Rita again. "Here we go. Come on, boy. Here we go."

"Oil. Ex... Ex... Ex" K9 stuttered most likely still 'booting up' "extract. Ana ana analysing."

"Listen to him, man. That's a voice." Mickey laughed.

"Careful. That's my dog." Sarah Jane warned him, Mickey held his hands up apologetically.

"Confirmation of analysis. Substance is Krillitane Oil." K9 concluded.

"They're Krillitanes." The Doctor mumbled standing back a little.

"Is that bad?" Rose asked.

"Very." He thought of how to describe it. "Think of how bad things could possibly be, and add another suitcase full of bad."

"Then add another" Rita added.

"And what are Krillitanes?" Sarah Jane questioned not having come across them before.

"They're a composite race." The Doctor started to explain what the Krillitans were to the group, Rita already knowing just patted K9 not really listening to the whole description. "Just like your culture is a mixture of traditions from all sorts of countries, people you've invaded or have been invaded by. You've got bits of Viking, bits of France, bits of whatever. The Krillitanes are the same. An amalgam of the races they've conquered. But they take physical aspects as well." Rita shrivelled her nose at the thought of literally having parts of you ripped off for the Krillitans to do as they pleased. "They cherry pick the best bits from the people they destroy. That's why I didn't recognise them. The last time I saw Krillitanes, they looked just like us except they had really long necks."

"And now they look like big bats" Rita crossed her arms and leant on the table. "Big ugly bats"

"What're they doing here?" Rose asked mainly at Rita and the Doctor

"It's the children. They're doing something to the children." The Doctor mumbled. "Rita anything?"

"Hmmm," She hummed and tapped her chin for emphasis. "Secret: Fish and chips." The Doctor nodded most likely not fully understanding but not pressing on with asking for any more secrets, instead, he instructed Mickey to help Sarah Jane carry K9 they both exited the small ironic fish and chips shop heading for Sarah Janes car.

"How many of us have there been travelling with you?" Rose blurted out just after Sarah Jane and Mickey left.

"Does it matter?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah, it does, if I'm just the latest in a long line."

"As opposed to what?" the Doctor questioned

"I thought you and me were."

"Rose" Rita spoke up warning the blonde who ignored her warning.

"I obviously got it wrong. I've been to the year five billion, right, but this? Now, this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me and Rita?

"No. Not to you."

"What about Rita?" Rose countered.

"No" was all he replied.

"But Sarah Jane?"

"Rose stop it That's-" Rita tried to warn the blonde again knowing what was to come next broke the Doctor and Rose's hearts and quite possibly Rita's heart as well.

"You were that close to her once, and now you never even mention her. Why not?" Rose continued to throw questions at the Time Lord.

"I don't age." The Doctor said coldly "I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone who you" he paused and looked between Rita and Rose.

"What, Doctor?"

"Rose stop it, can't you see?" Rita spat having enough of getting ignored. "It's clearly hurting you and him" she pointed to them both. "He's a Time Lord, how old is he Rose?" Rita asked having enough of the constant arguing going on for the day. "How old is he?" she repeated this time talking a lot harsher.

"Rita" The Doctor placed his hand on her arm speaking calmly and softly.

"Say it" Rita calmed down looking at the floor. "Tell her what she needs to know but don't say it how I know you would say it, Doctor"

Although he had no idea what she was talking about he spoke calmly and slowly not like how she knew he had said it in the 'episode' not coldly and harsh but calm and slow. "You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on. Alone. That's the curse of the Time Lords."

Rose sighed speechlessly. "Sorry" was all she mumbled the only word she could say before leaving the shop and joining Sarah Jane and Mickey, plastering a fake smile on her face hiding the broken pain now hidden in her heart, she saw the way Rita looked at him and how he switched his gaze between the brunette and herself when talking about watching people wither and die.

Rita sighed breaking the few seconds of tension and silence in the shop. "What's the plan then?" She asked although she knew the plan she was trying to lighten the mood a little and talk to the Doctor, the brunette was still leaning against the table the Doctor standing next to her arms folded just like she was, however, he was facing the table instead of away.

"Go back to the school tomorrow and have a word with Mister Finch" he replied. "I know you won't like it but you need to go with Sarah and Rose. Try and sort those two out, Mickey can be on dog watch."

"Alway going alone with you" Rita joked shaking her head. "Oh and if they're laughing their heads off tomorrow for some reason don't take it personally" She patted his shoulder, winked then walked out of the shop leaving the Doctor confused.

Rita looked up at the sky and groaned when she saw a Krillitan perched on top of a building. Realising it had been noticed it dived down towards her. Rita ducked, the Krillitan barely missing her head.

"You alright?" The Doctor ran out of the shop and over to Rita.

"Was that a Krillitane?" Sarah Jane asked rushing over to the brunette who was crouched down beside the Doctor.

"But it didn't even touch her. It just flew off. What did it do that for?" Rose asked

"I don't even know what it did that for" Rita muttered watching the Krillitain fly away past the moon.

The Doctor, Rose, Sarah Jane, Rita and Mickey all excited Sarah Janes car and stood watching the children enter the school. When nearly everyone had entered the building The Doctor began to explain to Rose, Sarah Jane and Mickey what they would have to do.

"Rose and Sarah, you go to the Maths room along with Rita. Crack open those computers, I need to see the hardware inside. Here, you might need this." He took the sonic out of his pocket both Sarah Jane and Rose held out their hands. Rita frowned. _That's not how it's meant to go?_ Instead, the Doctor handed it to Rita. She just continued to frown a large crease forming on her forehead.

"Mickey, surveillance. I want you outside." The Doctor ordered.

"Just stand outside?" Mickey sighed thinking that he was just 'the tin dog'. _One day Mickey._

"Here, take these you can keep K9 company." Sarah Jane threw her car keys over to him. The four then began to turn and head inside the school. The Doctor slowed down a little to walk beside Rita, she looked confused earlier and he wanted to know exactly why.

"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack." He said seriously over his shoulder.

"But he's metal!" Mickey shouted raising his arms up like the Doctor was being an idiot.

"I didn't mean for him." The Doctor shouted back.

"What're you going to do?" Rose asked.

"It's time I had a word with Mister Finch." He replied. "Rita" he held onto her arm as she began to walk away following Rose and Sarah Jane.

"Hmm?" she hummed turning around then noticing the Doctor holding her arm. She raised a brow and he quickly let go.

"You looked confused earlier?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, it's nothing." She waved it off then turned around again to continue walking, the Doctor being stubbed grabbed her arm again pulling her back around to face him. "Fine" she sighed. He let go of her yet again knowing she was now going to talk. "In the 'episode'" she did a gesture with her hands for speech marks "Only Rose was meant to put her hand out for the Sonic screwdriver, but they both did and then you gave it to me. It's not meant to go like that you were meant to give it to Sarah Jane."

"Rita" he shook his head chuckling a little. "Sometimes things don't go the way that you see them. Little differences are normal especially in a parallel universe, it's the big differences you should worry about not the little ones. Plus is it a bad thing that I gave you my sonic screwdriver?" He raised a brow in question.

"No, no not really" Rita shrugged "I just thought that it had to do exactly as planned. I noticed a few changes but they bent around me so I just figured it was because I was here but even when I was Sarah Jane should have had the screwdriver.

"Well, I guess you have it now" He grinned. "You better go catch up with those two, gods only knows what they could be arguing about, I also need to go find Mister Finch."

"See you soon Doctor" Rita nodded then turned towards the school and ran inside. The Doctor sighed deeply then followed the brunette.


	11. School Reunion - Three

"Where have you been?" Rose asked Rita as she ran up to them leaning next to the door of the maths computer room. "The doors locked and we can't get in"

"I was busy" Rita mumbled opening the door with the sonic screwdriver.

"Busy?" Rose raised a brow and Sarah Jane shook her head smirking getting an idea of what Rita was doing possibly with a certian Doctor.

"Not like that" Rita groaned rolling her eyes and walking into the classroom heading straight for a computer.

"Here you take it Sarah Jane I feel sick after that" Rita made the excuse without even thinking about it giving Sarah Jane the sonic screwdriver. Sarah Jane took the screwdriver and leaned over a computer attempting to open it She hit the screwdriver with her hand lightly a few times then groaned.

"It's not working" she mumbled trying again.

"Give it to me" Rose walked over and took the screwdriver off of Sarah Jane then began to sonic at the computer.

"Used to work first time in my day." Sarah Jane commented crossing her arms clearly annoyed that the screwdriver was not working for her.

"Well, things were a lot simpler back then." Rose snapped at the woman.

"Rose, can I give you a bit of advice?" Sarah Jane asked noticing that Rita had left the room to give her and Rose some time (and space) to work things out.

"I've got a feeling you're about to," Rose muttered.

"I know how intense a relationship with the Doctor can be, and I don't want you to feel I'm intruding."

"I don't feel threatened" She paused then also noticed Rita was no longer with the two of them "by you if that's what you mean."

"But Rita?" Sarah Jane whispered raising a brow.

"A little" Rose mumbled sighing holding the sides of her arms across her chest.

"She doesn't mean it, Rose, I can see it in her eyes even if she doesn't know she knows it yet trust me, anyways that's good for me because I'm not interested in picking up where we left off."

"No? With the big sad eyes and the robot dog? What else were you doing last night?" Rose spoke sarcastically trying to possibly hurt the woman but having no effect.

"I was just saying how hard it was adjusting to life back on Earth."

"The thing is when you two met they'd only just got rid of rationing. No wonder all that space stuff was a bit too much for you." Rose snapped not caring about Sarah Janes feelings anymore.

"I had no problem with space stuff. I saw things you wouldn't believe." Sarah Jane snapped back at Rose knowing that being passive was getting them both nowhere.

"Try me," Rose commented. Rita heard this from outside the room. She slowly entered the room again trying not to interrupt the two.

"Mummies."

"I've met ghosts." Rose tried to one up the woman.

"Robots. Lots of robots."

"Slitheen, in Downing Street.2

"Daleks!"

Rose scoffed "Met the Emperor."

"Anti-matter monsters."

"Gas masked zombies."

"Real living dinosaurs."

"Real living werewolf."

"The Loch Ness Monster!"

"Deadly statues" Rita spoke up just wanting to get something out of this conversation the two turned to her and raised a brow. "Well, technically not yet but I have seen them and I know know that they're real"

"Seriously?" Rose chuckled a little. "Listen to us. It's like me and my mate Shireen. The only time we fell out was over a man, and we're arguing over the Doctor." She shook her head then perched herself on the edge of the computer desks, Rita walked over moved a chair and sat down placing her legs on the desk and resting her arms on her head looking very comfortable.

"With you, did he do that thing where he'd explain something at like, ninety miles per hour, and you'd go, what? and he'd look at you like you'd just dribbled on your shirt?" Rose asked.

"All the time." she laughed. "Does he still stroke bits of the Tardis?"

"Yeah! Yeah, he does. I'm like, do you two want to be alone?" Rose wiped her eyes and raised her brow, they continued to laugh while Rita sat there just enjoying herself and the two finally not arguing she noticed the Doctor walk in and raise a brow.

"How's it going?" He asked not questioning the two as to why they were laughing. They both started to laugh louder and have to rest there hands on their knees to keep upright.

"What?" He looked at them and then Rita who just shrugged. "Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these." Sarah Jane and Rose then laughed even louder.

"I did warn you yesterday Doctor" Rita grinned smugly.

"What? Stop it!" he ordered like a small child. Rita walked over and patted his shoulder. "Not sure how you're going to calm them down sorry, also I need to borrow the psychic paper, please?"

"What for?"

"Secrets" Rita winked at him.

"Is it dangerous?" He asked frowning.

"Most definitely, won't get me killed though" she grinned innocently. "I know what I'm doing Doctor, Foreknowledge remember?"

"Sometimes I don't trust you Rita Stone." He shook his head reaching into the inside of his coat pocket. Sarah Jane and Rose were now on the floor in hysterics.

"Ah but you trust me really" She joked as he handed her the psychic paper and then watched her walk off grinning to herself.

The brunette headed for the staff room, noticing that all the students were now heading inside she mentally groaned and started to run over trying to stop the Krillitanes from having their 'lunch'.

"Are you alright miss?" Multiple students had asked Rita on her way to the staff room. She tried to 'speed walk' past the students not to worry them however it was too slow and she had to pick up the pace changing the walk into a run. After arriving she noticed moat of the staff were inside she stood outside the door and breathed in deeply, this she had no ideas how it turned out the foreknowledge didn't include her decisions as she was never in the 'show'.

"Excuse me?" Rita spoke out loud noticing that thankfully none of the maths teachers were in the staff room. "Mister Finch says he wants you all to meet him in the science department preferably Mister Smiths room, told me to tell you to wait for him there. She held up the psychic paper.

The teachers nodded and then headed towards what was the Doctors class room which lucky was in the opposite direction to where Mister Finch and his Krillitane maths staff were coming in.

Rita followed the staff unaware of their boss being an alien that wanted to eat them to the class room and waited for them to enter before shutting the door and placing a lock on it. It wasn't anything like the Doctors sonic screwdriver but she knew he needed that so she had to do with second best. Lucky she eyed the lock and picked it up before exiting the staff room.

The brunette pleased with her work ran back to the maths computer room the Doctor, Rose and Sarah Jane were ingoing the long way round so she wouldn't bump into any Krillitane and become a snack before taking over the world and being stopped by the TimeLord. The halls were now almost silent and she knew that the students were almost all in their 'maths lesson' the brains of over one hundred children being used to take over the world.

"Where have you been?" The Doctor asked not looking up from the CPU he was trying to get into.

"Lunch is meant to be around twelve, not eleven, had to stop it." She grinned, the Doctor looked up pausing what he was doing.

"Seriously?" He raised his eyebrows guessing what she was talking about.

"No" she lied "of course, I had to. The poor staff are probably scared for their lives stuck in your classroom."

"Why did you send them there and how did you keep them in there?"

"Well since you needed your sonic screwdriver and You don't exactly have a spare I found a big thick old lock in the staff room and used that." Rita grinned proudly.

"Oh, you are brilliant Rita!" He grinned hugging her then turning back to the CPU. "But I can't shift it."

"I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything!" Sarah Jane said surprised that it couldn't unlock the CPU

"Anything except a deadlock seal." The Doctor sighed.

"And wood, you would think that he would change that considering his ship is made of that on the outside. A lot of 'wood' mentioned in the sentence," Rita thought out loud.

"And wood" the Doctor groaned in annoyance but not at the brunette. "There's got to be something inside here." He hit the computer trying to get it to work.

"That won't help you Doctor" Rita chuckled a little at how thick he was acting for a 900-year-old TimeLord that was no doubt smarter than the entire human race.

"What're they teaching those kids?" He rhetorically asked himself. "Rita?" he sighed.

"I don't know Doctor"

"What do you mean you don't know?" Sarah Jane asked. "I thought you had foreknowledge.

"I don't know everything, I am only human" Rita sighed. "Just have to keep trying Doctor somethings bound to happen.

The Doctor continued to try and open the CPU while Rita, Sarah Jane and Rose stayed out of the way and waited, they all jumped back when the computer monitor it suddenly switched itself on.

"You wanted the programme? There it is." Sarah Jane pointed out that the computer was now on.

"Some sort of code." The Doctor frowned his eyes then widened "No. No, that can't be." The Doctor slowly walked towards the large screen at the front of the room, his face full of horror and his eyes widened. "The Skasis Paradigm."He identified it as "They're trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm."

"The Skasis what?" He gritted his teeth not looking over at Sarah Jane. "The God-maker. The universal theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control."

"What, and the kids are like a giant computer?" Rose asked frowning. "Yes." The Doctor turned around. "And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil." He cracked it. "That oil from the kitchens, it works as a, as a conducting agent. Makes the kids cleverer."

"But that oil's on the chips. I've been eating them." Rose eyes widened

"What's fifty-nine times thirty-five?"

 _wo thousand and sixty five.'_ Rita thought

"Two thousand and sixty-five. Oh, my God." Rose answered automatically

 _'Wait what.'_ Rita thought her mouth dropped open. No one else noticing the brunettes expression. ' _I haven't even touched the chips and there is no way I remembered that'_

"But why use children?" Sarah Jane asked. "Can't they use adults?"

"No, it's got to be children. The God maker needs imagination to crack it. They're not just using the children's brains to break the code, they're using their souls." The Doctor gritted his teeth again. Rita looked over her shoulder at the computer. She slowly walked over to it in the corner like it was pulling her in. She had no control.

"Let the lesson begin." Finch spoke proudly of his work. The Doctor, Rose and Sarah Jane all turned round. Finch noticed Rita over by the computer and grinned then flicked his eyes away from the brunette before the Doctor or the other two females noticed "Think of it, Doctor. With the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it."

"Oh yeah? The whole of creation with the face of Mister Finch? Call me old-fashioned, but I like things as they are." He mocked the Krillitane.

"You act like such a radical, and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order? Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good." He attempted to persuade the Doctor.

"What, by someone like you?"

"No, someone like you. The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become a God at my side. Imagine what you could do. Think of the civilisations you could save." He hit the Doctor where it really hurt. Who he could save. "Perganon, Assinta. Your own people, Doctor, standing tall." Finch grinned seeing how it effected him. "The TimeLords reborn."

"Doctor, don't listen to him." She tried to help.

Finch snapped his head over to Sarah Jane. "And you could be with him throughout eternity. Young, fresh, never wither, never age, never die." He turned back to the Doctor smiling again. "Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor. Join us. "

"I could save everyone." He murmured thinking aloud.

"Yes." Finch cooed.

"I could stop the war."

"No." Sarah Jane snapped. "The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world, or a relationship, everything has its time. And everything ends."

"What lovely words miss Smith. It's a shame you're not as clever as your brunette friend over there, ruined my lunch and didn't even eat a single chip." Mister Finch moved his gaze from Sarah Jane over to Rita grinning madly. The Doctor snapped out of the moment picked up a chair throwing it at the huge screen at the front then turned to Rita pulling her away from the computer by her arm.

"Out!" He shouted switching from grabbing hold of Rita's arm to the brunette's hand and pulling her away. _'How?'_ The same word repeatedly came up in his mind as he ran heading out of the room taking the lead. still holding onto Rita.

"What the hell happened?!" Rose shouted following the Doctor and Rita in the corridor.

"I- I don't know. It's like it pulled me in" Rita stuttered trying to explain.

"But he said you didn't touch the chips?!" Sarah Jane also shouted.

"Not the time!" The Doctor shouted back turning a corner and running down the stairs.

"I didn't-" Rita began to talk.

The Doctor then interrupted her speech. "Like I said, not the time we can talk about this later" he cut her off continuing to run down the stairs.

"What is going on?" Mickey who then turned his head looking up the stairs at the sound of deadly krillitanes not far enough away from the group.

"That explain it?" Rita snapped not understanding actually why she actually did.

"Canteen lets go!" The Doctor shouted running in the direction of the canteen. Rita felt her body jolt almost falling over at the sudden sprint made by the Doctor who forgot his hand was still firmly connected to the brunettes mainly because he knew that the krillitanes will no doubt want her for her unbelievablely smart mind that he still couldn't figure out how it was possible but also because somewhere inside him in a tiny corner of the TimeLord's body even when he wanted to deny it so very much, he though it just felt right.

"Are they my teachers?" Kenny asked in shock notice ng the Krillitane behind him.

"Yeah. Sorry." The Doctor said not very sincerely.

"We need the Doctor and the young brunette alive. She has a clever mind." Finch grinned staring right at Rita until the Doctor stepped in front of her blocking the Krillitanes view. "As for the others? You can feast."

The group all dived under different tables the Doctor pulling Rita to the ground with him causing her to crash to the floor. Rita saw a krillitane dive down at her, she closed her eyes waiting for the impact and the pain but then noticed there was none, slowly opening her eyes she jumped back right into the Doctor who also jumped at the sudden movement. The Krillitane which had dived to attack was now lying right in front of her unconscious or possibly dead.

"K9! " Sarah Jane shouted proudly grinning at the metal dog.

"Suggest you engage running mode, mistress."

"Come on!" The Doctor pulled Rita out from under the table and let her go to help Rose. He made sure all of the companions got out of the canteen safety before ordering: "K9, hold them back!"

"Affirmative, master." He obeyed. "Maximum defence mode." He ran out the canteen in the same direction that the others had gone in while K9 shot at the Krillitane defending him. "Power supply failing," K9 stated.

"Forget the shooty dog thing." Mister Finch spat

"Power supply failing," K9 mentioned again.

Rose, Rita, The Doctor, Sarah Jane, Mickey and Kenny were all in one of the psychics class rooms.

"It's the oil." The Doctor widened his eyes in realisation. "Krillitane life forms can't handle the oil. That's it!" He started to pace around the room.

"They've changed their physiology so often, even their own oil is toxic to them." He turned to Rita and Rose to ask them both: "How much was there in the kitchens?

"Barrels of it." Rose answered quite literally meaning barrels upon barrels.

The group changed there gaze from each other and focused on the door which was getting shaken by what was most likely the Krillitanes outside trying to get in.

"Okay," the Doctor said calmly thinking fir a moment. "we need to get to the kitchens. Mickey." He turned to the man.

"What now, hold the coats?" He asked sarcastically.

"Get all the children unplugged and out of the school." He ordered not commenting on the mans sarcasm. "Now then, bats, bats, bats." He looked around the room then looked over to Rita who nodded knowing what the Doctor meant by looking over at the brunette. "How do we fight bats?"

"Kenny" Rita looked from the Doctor to the child grinning. Kenny looked around then slammed his fist into the fire alarm next to him. Almost automatically the ringing if the bell blared out around the entire school.

The group could hear the Krillitanes shrieks and cries of pain outside. The humans and the TimeLord opened the door and ran past the Krillitanes which were clutching their heads hunched over there wings flapping about.

"Master."

"Come on, boy." The Doctor cooed K9 to follow. "Good boy." He ran to the door heading into the kitchen and unlocked it with the sonic screwdriver.

Rita and Rose ran in first over to the barrels of Krillitane oil. He began to try and open a barrel of oil. "They've been deadlock sealed." He groaned. "Finch must've done that. I can't open them."

"Of cause you can't" Rita sighed. "For a bat he's not stupid." The Doctor nodded at her comment then tried to open another barrel.

"The vats would not withstand a direct hit from my laser," K9 spoke up. "But my batteries are failing. " The Doctors face fell knowing what will happen. "Right. Everyone out the back door. K9, stay with me."

"You" Rita pointed to the Doctor. "Don't do anything stupid" she ran out the back door following the others. She knew he wouldn't but it was good to just be safe.

"What is he doing?" Sara Jane asked Rita after she appeared at the door.

"Just get back!" Rita shouted sprinting away from the kitchen door.

"Rita-"

"Where's K9?" Sarah Jane asked. Rita sighed at the woman's persistence. She saw the Doctor ignore her question locking the door and turning to the companion.

"We need to run." Was all he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the door.

"Where is he?" She asked again talking about K9. "What have you done!" Sarah Jane asked again as the Doctor pulled her away running away from the kitchen door catching up with Rose and Rita then grabbing the brunette's hand with his free one helping her run faster.

The group found Mickey with the students out side of the school the Doctor let go off Sarah Jane and Rita's hands, moments after finding them the schools kitchen made a loud explosion signalling K9 had shot the barrels and successfully killed the Krillitane.

"Yes!" Kenny jumped up and down throwing a fist into the air. Rita slowly walked over to Sarah Jane seeing the woman who looked heart broken. "He had no choice. The Doctor didn't want it to end like that, I know he had no other way." She placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. She was looking down at the ground breathing deeply. The children started to chant Kenny's name over and over. Rita sighed patting Sarah Janes shoulder.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor cautiously walked over to the pair seeing Sarah Jane in distress.

"It's all right." She sadly smiled looking up at the Doctor then looked over at Rita the same. "He was just a daft metal dog." Rita knew this wasn't true and slowly retreated back giving the woman and the Doctor some space. "It's fine, really."

Only seconds after her comment Sarah Jane she began to cry, the Doctor tried to comfort the woman wrapping an arm around her shoulder Rita smiled sadly over to them Sarah Jane too upset about the loss of K9 didn't notice the brunette, however, the TimeLord did and sadly smiled back.

"About in the classroom" Rita mumbled while the Doctor leant on the console in the TARDIS he crossed his arms and watched her begin to explain, "I honestly don't know what happened"

"It's fine, I'm not worried about that" he admitted. "What I'm wondering is how it did that and how you managed to almost crack that thing."

Rita sighed looking down away from the Doctor she mumbled "I also knew the answer"

"The answer?" he questioned.

"To your question. Fifty-nine times thirty-five. It's two thousand and sixty-five, and that definitely wasn't foreknowledge. It's like the longer I'm here the smarter I'm getting, no that sounds stupid, right Doctor?" She looked up at him, his expression unreadable. "Doctor?" She questioned again just as Rose and Mickey walked into the TARDIS.

"Rita, you always were smart and I still don't know how you got onto that Dalek ship but that theory definitely is not stupid, I'll keep looking, soon we will understand what happened."

"Okay" she nodded. "Thank you, Sarah Jane will most likely be here in a minute, go ask her if she wants a cup of tea" she grinned the Doctor nodded his head then walked outside. He then appeared a moment later followed by Sarah Jane.

"You've redecorated." Sarah Jane grinned looking around the TARDIS console room.

"Do you like it?" The Doctor asked her walking over and standing next to Rita.

"Oh, I, I do." She smiled lightly moving her hand over the console, the TARDIS hummed in response. "Yeah. I preferred it as it was, but, er, yeah. It'll do."

"I love it" Rose smiled warmly at the woman. Rita also smiled glad the two companions were now on 'good terms'

"This one is my favourite" Rita looked around smiling.

"Hey, you" Sarah Jane looked over at Rose. "What's forty-seven times three hundred and sixty-nine?"

 _'Seventeen thousand three hundred and forty-three'_ Rita blinked. The Doctor noticed confused face and lightly squeezed the brunette's hand. She looked up at him and sighed. Whatever it was wasn't going to just go away.

"No idea." Rose shrugged. "It's gone now. The oil's faded."

"But you're still clever." Sarah Jane smiled. "More than a match for him." She looked over at Rita. "Both of you"

"You too Sarah Jane" Rita let go of the Doctors hand and walked over to her and Rose.

"Er, " the Doctor scratched the back of his head starting to move around the console. "About to head off, but you could come with us." He offered.

"No." She shook her head lightly trying not to hurt the Doctors feelings. "I can't do this anymore. Besides, I've got a much bigger adventure ahead. Time I stopped waiting for you and found a life of my own."

"Can I come?" Mickey spoke up. Sarah Jane looked over at him in horror. He then explained further. "No, not with you, I mean with you." He looked over at the Doctor "Because I'm not the tin dog, and I want to see what's out there."

Sarah Jane saw the glint in Mickey's eyes and the mental groaning in the Doctors. "Oh, go on, Doctor." She encouraged. "Sarah Jane Smith, a Mickey Smith. You need a Smith on board."

"Okay then, I could do with a laugh." He agreed giving the man a chance.

"Rose, is that okay?" He asked Rose crossed her arms not looking at him biting her lip and speaking harshly but quietly as she lied: "No, great. Why not?"

"Well, I'd better go." Sarah Jane saw the sudden tension and pulled Rose in for a hug.

"What do I do?" She asked Sarah Jane. "Do I stay with him?"

"Yes." She looked at the blonde. "Some things are worth getting your heart broken for." Her gaze looked over at Rita who was now talking to the Doctor. "Find me, if you need to, one day. Find me." Rose nodded and then let Sarah Jane go. Rita turned to her and walked over to the woman.

"I'll see you again soon Sarah Jane" she smiled. "Until then I'll miss you"

"You and me both Rita." She hugged the brunette then whispered into her ear. "Take care of him, both of them. I see that sparkle in your eye Rita Stone just be careful" she warned her face giving off a serious expression.

"Sparkle?" Rita frowned pulling away.

"Secrets" she grinned stealing the brunettes line.

"I see what you did there." She shook her head. "Goodbye, Sarah Jane."

"Goodbye, Rita Stone" She then exited the TARDIS, the Doctor following her outside.

"It's daft, but I haven't ever thanked you for that time. And like I said, I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Sarah Jane spoke to the Doctor over her shoulder as she walked out.

"Something to tell the grandkids." The Doctor smiled.

"Oh, I think it'll be someone else's grandkids now. " Sarah Jane smiled sadly.

"Right. Yes, sorry. I didn't get a chance to ask. You haven't?" He didn't know the right words to use scratching the back of his head is tried to find the correct words. "There hasn't been anyone? You know."

Sarah Jane laughed a little then joked. "Well, there was this one guy. I travelled with him for a while, but he was a tough act to follow. Goodbye, Doctor."

"Oh, it's not goodbye." He tilted his head a little.

"Do say it. Please. This time. Say it." He sighed.

"Goodbye, my Sarah Jane." He smiled then pulled her into a hug pulling her off of the floor. He then let go of her and walked inside.

"Doctor!" She shouted then repeated again even louder: "Doctor!"

"Hmm?" He popped his head out of the door confusion filling his face.

"Look after her" he frowned not knowing who she was talking about.

"Rita" Sarah Jane confirmed. "And Rose, look after both of them, I can see Rita needs it, her eyes remind me of you, lost and alone, no one should be alone Doctor, not even you." She smiled then turned away. The Doctor stood there for a moment a little shocked and confused.

"I will," he finally replied giving a small nod. "Both of them, I'll keep them safe" he watched her walk away then mumbled quietly giving out a sigh.

"As safe as I can"


	12. The Girl in the Fireplace

The Doctor paced around the console, Rita sat in the jumpseat cross-legged with her eyes fixed on the Doctor, they had been to many amazing planets, between when she had met Sarah Jane Smith and now what excited her, even more, was that those adventures were never 'episodes' back in 'her world'.

Rita was excited for another adventure like she normally was now. It had been exactly Two months since the four had the encounter with the Krillitane, the Doctor was still confused about what was happening to his brunette companion, this scared him a little. Over the past two months he had grown to enjoy the company of the brunette, he could tell Rose was enjoying having a new close friend her age as well.

They dropped Mickey off home to 'pack' really the Doctor just wanted a few more adventures with Rose and Rita before Rick- Mickey joined them.

"Right then" The Doctor looked at the brunette and then at Rose who was standing next to her. "Where shall we go next?" He raised a brow at them both.

"Maybe we should go get Mickey?" Rose suggested. "We did lie to him and say that we were only going to be waiting in the TARDIS."

"I didn't think you wanted him to come?" The Doctor crossed his arms and leant against the console opposite to the girls.

"We did promise him" she ignored his question.

"Doctor she's right" Rita backed the blonde up. "Poor Mickey thinks he's just a tin dog," she added.

"Oh all right" He sighed moving away from the console.

"Try to get around a few hours _after_ we left." Rita rolled her eyes. "I know what you did to Rose's mum. Poor woman, you deserved that slap." The Doctor shot her a playful glare in her direction.

"I was close" He defended himself turning dials on the console. "Twelve months is close to Twelve hours" he protested.

Rose burst out laughing Rita also then started to laugh as well speaking in between her fits of laughter. "For a Time traveller, you can't tell the big difference between twelve _hours_ and twelve _months_."

"Can we just go and pick up your boyfriend Rose" the Doctor groaned.

"Oh, now you want to pick him up" She laughed again.

"I did say for you to try and get the dates correct" Rita patted the Doctors shoulder, them both slowly walking in the TARDIS with Rose and Mickey bickering behind them.

"It was my idea to actually come back for you!" She grumbled.

"Two months!" He shouted. "Two months I waited, I didn't think you were actually coming back"

"I told him to make sure it was only a few hours" Rita pointed out speaking over her shoulder.

"For someone so smart you don't know when to be quiet" the Doctor whispered into her ear.

"I could say the same for you" she whispered back grinning.

"Well you're here now aren't you!" Rose shouted at Mickey then crossed her arms and walked away from the console and into the hall obviously heading for her room.

"Great she hates me now" he dragged himself over then plopped him body down onto the jump seat. Rita whimpered a little seeing her seat she had grown to become attached to be stolen away from her.

"You'll get it back soon" the Doctor promised.

"I better or someone's going to loose a hand, and this time it won't grow back," she said cheekily grinning up at him. "I'm going to go and sleep" she then stated yawning a little. "You two" she pointed to Mickey meaning for him and Rose "Sort it out before I wake up"

"Yes ma'am" He rolled his eyes and gave a salute to her before she headed off.

"She's trouble" the Doctor chuckled shaking his head.

"I know that kind of laugh" Mickey crossed his arms narrowing his eyes at the Doctor. "What are you to her"

"No," he said coldly turning away shutting himself off. "I made that mistake once already, that isn't going to happen again"

"Mistake?" Mickey raised a brow.

He continued to look away from Mickey. "I'm a TimeLord, 900 years old Mickey, she's human and no I don't." He spoke harshly with no emotion just like his eyes currently looked starting into the ground. "I'm going to the library," he began to walk off then pointed at Mickey. "Don't touch anything."

"Yes boss" Mickey nodded.

"So where are we off to now then?" Rita asked cross-legged on the jump seat watching the Doctor mess around with the console, Mickey and Rose were both still asleep and thankfully now on 'good terms' after Rose explained it was actually the Doctors idea for leaving Mickey.

Rita had to threaten the Doctor to tell Mickey that the blonde was telling the truth since he didn't believe her, it was either telling the truth or the Doctor hand being cut off. He knew she wouldn't really but her face said otherwise.

"Where do you want to go?" He looked up at her and paused what he was doing. "You haven't picked anywhere yet have you?"

She thought for a moment then tilted her head. "I guess not. I honestly don't mind where we go anywhere is exciting with a new adventure" The Doctor grinned at her answer. "But if you're going to ask" she tapped her chin and looked up for emphasis while she thought. "How about around three thousand years into Rose and Mickey's future two and a half galaxies away from Earth." She grinned mischievously.

"That's oddly specific." He frowned while grinning.

"Secrets" she tapped her nose then jumped out of the seat uncrossing her legs. "Why do they sleep for so long" she threw her head back and groaned.

"Welcome to my world" the Doctor chuckled shaking his head. "Your fault for sleeping earlier, though."

"I didn't want to put up with any more arguing when you had to put up with two people you care about arguing over someone you also care about it annoys you a little" the Doctor smiled a little at her comment. "What?" She frowned a little noticing his expression.

"Nothing" he shook his head changing the expression on his face to one that was blank.

"Hello" Rose stretched out yawning a little in a new pair of clothes.

"Finally your up" Rita bounced around the console like a small overly excited puppy.

"Someones itching for an adventure" Mickey scratched his head walking into the room and over to the console.

"Being stuck in here with you both sleeping is boring. I don't know how he does it" she pointed her thumb in the Doctors direction then heard a low groaning from around the four in the TARDIS. "Your not boring" Rita patted the console. "Those two are"

"Well, we didn't sleep earlier. We had to sort it out before you chopped his hand off" Mickey protested.

"Enough arguing" Rita groaned again.

"I agree with Rita, let's go" he pulled down a lever then grabbed onto part of the console as it jerked him and the three humans in a direction. Rita managed to regain her balance, helped Rose with hers then jumped into the jump seat (very ironic name since Rita jumped into it a lot) and held on tight.

"It's a spaceship. Brilliant!" Mickey exclaimed following Rose out of the TARDIS after the Doctor and Rita. "I got a spaceship on my first go."

"Let's hope it's not Dalek" Rita joked. Rose and Mickey stared at the brunette in horror. "It's not Dalek" she reassured them shaking her head.

Rose began to walk around exploring the area they were in. "It looks kind of abandoned. Anyone on board?"

"Nah, nothing here." The Doctor backtracked a little "well, nothing dangerous. Well, not that dangerous." Rita shook her head chuckling. "You know what, I'll just have a quick scan, in case there's anything dangerous."

"With you the smallest of things can be dangerous" Rita grinned.

"That's only the bits in between" he winked smirking a little.

"So I'm told" she raised her brows at him. "Best go get that scan done Doctor"

"So, what's the date?" Rose asked. "How far we gone?"

"About three thousand years into your future, give or take." The Doctor walked around a bit explaining to them both knowing Rita already knew all this information. He then found a switch and flicked it triggering the light to turn on.

He walked over to a small window and looked out smiling. "Fifty-first century. Diagmar Cluster, you're a long way from home, Mickey. Two and a half galaxies."

"Mickey Smith, meet the universe." Rose chuckled as they both looked out of small port hole like window. "See anything you like?"

"It's so realistic!"

"Tell me about it" Rita laughed. "Thought those two were in a dream when I first saw them."

"Dear me," the Doctor walked over to what looked like a table. He began to pick stuff up and move around. "had some cowboys in here. Got a ton of repair work going on."

"Could make a show out of that" Rita chuckled lightly. "Cowboy builders, in space." She waved her hands above hers and the Doctors face as if she could imagine the show's title. "There's a show back home like that, obviously not in space" she scratched the back of her head the Doctor grinning at her like the Cheshire cat. "Not that grin again" he then frowned.

"What's wrong with my grin?" He asked sounding offended.

"Nothing's wrong with it" she couldn't help but smile. "It's when you do it for too long it starts to creep me out"

"I'll do it more often then" he winked then looked over at what look a little bit like a computer but Rita knew very well that it definitely wouldn't have the latest windows update.

"Now that's odd. Look at that." He frowned pointing to the 'not computer'. "All the warp engines are going. Full capacity. There's enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe, but we're not moving. So where's all that power going?" He asked obviously rhetorically and over to Rita since Rose possibly wouldn't know and Mickey definitely would not have a clue.

Rose looked around then frowned in wonder "Where'd all the crew go? "

"Good question." He pointed out nodding then looking at the 'not computer' "No life readings on board."

"Well, we're in deep space." Rose frowned "They didn't just nip out for a quick fag."

"No, I've checked all the smoking pods." He said sounding serious, not understanding her sarcasm. "Can you smell that?" He asked the three.

"Yeah, someone's cooking." Rita shivered knowing it was quite literally. The Doctor noticed this and stepped a little closer to the brunette.

"Sunday roast, definitely." Mickey guessed sniffing the air.

The Doctor used the 'not computer' to open a door behind the four which revealed a beautiful fireplace with a blazing fire.

"Well, there's something you don't see in your average spaceship."

"Says the one who has a ship disguised as a 1950's wooden police box with a swimming pool inside" she raised her eyebrows at him smirking slightly.

"Fair enough" he nodded not arguing due to knowing that she wouldn't back down, plus she was right. "But this is Eighteenth century. French. Nice mantle. Not a hologram. It's not even a reproduction. This actually is an eighteenth-century French fireplace. Double sided. There's another room through there."

Rose looked out of a porthole in the same wall of the fireplace. "There can't be. That's the outer hull of the ship. Look."

The Doctor knelt down beside the fireplace ignoring Rose. Rita copied him. "Hello." He waved smiling warmly.

"Hello." A young girl Rita knew as Reinette crouched down on the other side of the fireplace the flame flickering between the Doctor, Rita and Reinette.

"What's your name?" The Doctor asked looking behind the girl trying to figure out where she was.

"Reinette." She replied.

"Reinette," he said in thought. "That's a lovely name. Can you tell me where you are at the moment, Reinette?" He asked. The girl frowned as if the question was stupid and the answer was obvious.

"In my bedroom."

"And where's your bedroom?" Reinette frowned even more when asked this question. "Where do you live, Reinette?"

"Paris, of course."

"Paris, right!" He opened his mouth in an 'o' shape. Rita looked at him then rolled her eyes.

"Monsieur, Madam, what are you doing in my fireplace?" She now questioned them.

"Oh," he thought if some excuse to use. "It's just a routine fire check. Can you tell me what year it is?"

"Of course I can." She smiled. "Seventeen hundred and twenty-seven."

"Right, lovely. One of my favourites." Rita lightly elbowed him and whispered into his ear "She probably thinks you're mad"

"And two people watching a girl in a fireplace in her bedroom isn't mad?" He raised a brow at her in question.

"Good point" she rolled her eyes not wanting to further question.

"As I was saying. August is rubbish, though. Stay indoors. Okay, that's all for now. Thanks for your help. Hope you enjoy the rest of the fire. Night, night." He waved.

"Goodnight Monsieur. Goodnight Madam." Reinette said as the two stood up. Mickey frowned in confusion.

"You said this was the fifty-first century."

"I also said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the universe." The Doctor pointed out. "I think we just found the hole. Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink."

"What's that?" Mickey slightly tilted his head.

"No idea." He shrugged then told the truth. "Just made it up. Didn't want to say magic door."

"I think 'magic door' sounds better" Rita tilted her head to the left smirking a little.

"And on the other side of the magic door is France in 1727?" Rose asked for confirmation.

"Well, she was speaking French. Right period French, too." The Doctor told them.

"She was speaking English, I heard her." Mickey protested.

"That's the TARDIS," Rose explain to him. "Translates for you."

"Even French?" Mickey asked.

"Yeah"

"Why wouldn't it?" Rita asked.

"Gotcha!" Said the Doctor pulling a lever causing the fireplace to start to spin.

"Oh no, you don't!" Rita shouted jumping on the Doctors back. The two spun around on the fireplace while Rose shouted both their names.

When the fireplace stops Rita jumps off his back. "God you're heavy" he mumbled quietly earning a playful slap on his arm by the brunette. "That's for trying to get away and for saying I was heavy"

"You didn't have to come" he whispered walking over to the window and moving the curtain to see outside that it was around midnight and snowing lightly outside. The pair spun around to see the young girl Reinette sitting up in her bed with s very paced breathing and a shocked and scared expression.

"It's okay." The Doctor placed out an arm towards her. "Don't scream. It's just us. It's the fireplace people." He spoke slowly and calmly not to scare the young girl. "Look. We were talking just a moment ago. We were in your fireplace." The Doctor reaches into his brown coat pocket slowly not taking his eyes of the young girl who was now a lot calmer than before. He took out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it at a candle then lightened it.

"Monsieur, that was weeks ago." She paused. "That was months."

"Really?" He looked at Rita who nodded at him backing the girl up. "Oh. Must be a loose connection. Need to get a man in."

"You are a man" Rita rolled her eyes

"Who are you two?" She looked between the Doctor and Rita then asked them another question. "And what are you doing here?"

The Doctor noticed Rita staring at the broken clock on the mantle of the fireplace.

"Okay, that's scary." He said reaching out to Rita's hand beside him and placing his hand in hers.

"You're scared of a broken clock?" Reinette tilted her head ever so slightly due to being confused.

"Just a bit scared, yeah. Just a little tiny bit." He walked over to the clock pulling Rita with him. "Because, you see, if this clock's broken, and it's the only clock in the room, then what's that?" He put his hand not holding the brunettes in the air signalling for Rita and Reinette to listen closely and of course they could hear a ticking that sounded like a normal clock, however, Rita knew fully well that this wasn't a normal clock like you would have on the wall in your kitchen.

"Because you see, that's not a clock. Rita stays right there, whatever happens, do not move" he let go of her hand and slowly walked away from her towards Reinette who was sitting on her bed. "You can tell by the resonance. Too big. Six feet, I'd say. The size of a man."

"What is it?" Reinette asked her voice shaking a little.

"Reinette don't be scared the Doctor won't let anything hurt you" Rita tried to reassure the girl.

"Now, let's think." He turned to Rita standing still not moving. "If you were a thing that ticked and you were hiding in someone's bedroom, the first thing you do, break the clock. No one notices the sound of one clock ticking, but two? You might start to wonder if you're really alone."

Rita nodded in agreement understanding what he was saying. He then turned to Reinette. "Stay on the bed. Right in the middle. Don't put your hands or feet over the edge."

The Doctor slowly crouched down and rested his head hovering just above the cold floor. He waved the sonic screwdriver under the bed to scan and light it up. The screwdriver was forcefully knocked out of his hand.

Slowly the Doctor started to get up. "Rita" he spoke in a whisper. "Stay there." He told her again even though she had no plans of ignoring his request the first time.

After poking his head up he noticed the clockwork droid behind the girl. "Reinette" he whispered. "Don't look round." He then turned his gaze towards the droid again directing his words to it.

"You, stay exactly where you are." The Doctor moved forward towards Reinette and placed his hands on her head looking deeply into her eyes trying to figure out what the droid wanted with her. "Hold still, let me look."

The Doctor pulled away a moment later looking at the droid. "You've been scanning her brain. What, you've crossed two galaxies and thousands of years just to scan a child's brain? What could there be in a little girl's mind worth blowing a hole in the universe?" He asked narrowing his eyes at the droid. Reinette then turned round facing the droid.

"I don't understand." She spoke honestly scared and confused. "It wants me?" She looked at the Doctor then turned back to the droid. "You want me?"

The droid then spoke for the first time snapping its head towards Reinette making the noise of a machine moving as it did so. "Not yet. You are incomplete."

"Incomplete?" The Doctor repeated. "What's that mean, incomplete?" He waited for the droid to answer. "You can answer her, you can answer me. What do you mean, incomplete?"

"Doctor" Rita warned him. The droid walked round Reinettes bed standing before the TimeLord a blade shooting out of its hand. Rita pulled the Doctor away just before the blade touched him.

"I told you to stay there," he said through gritted teeth not meaning to be as angry "I'm not letting you become a shish kebab" she gritted her teeth back. The Doctor then looked at her in a way making her feel slightly guilty. "Sorry" she muttered.

"Madam, Monsieur, be careful." Rita could sense the terror in Reinette's voice.

"Just a nightmare, Reinette, don't worry about it. Everyone has nightmares." The droid went to attack the Doctor neck again. Once again Rita pulled him away. "Thanks" he looked at Rita then at the droid. "Even monsters from under the bed have nightmares, don't you, monster?"

Rita noticed that they were both pressed up against the fireplace, the Doctor standing between her and the droid. She also noticed that the blade was now stuck in the beautiful mantle.

"What do monsters have nightmares about?" Reinette asked.

"Me!" The Doctor flicked the lever again and then leant into Rita who gave a squeak at the sudden contact and movement of the fireplace as it spun round back to the ship.

"Doctor, Rita!" Rose shouted to them both seeing the Droid stuck in the fireplace. The Doctor jumped off the fireplace freeing Rita who moved back. He then grabbed the fire extinguisher and sprayed it over the droid which then froze in place.

"Excellent. Ice gun."

"Fire extinguisher." The Doctor threw it over to Rose who then caught it.

"You okay?" He walked over to Rita placing a hand on her arm.

"Yeah I'm fine, you?"

"I'm always okay" he grinned at her.

"Where did that thing come from?" Rose interrupted gesturing over to the frozen Droid.

"Here."

"So why is it dressed like that?" Mickey asked.

"Field trip to France. Some kind of basic camouflage protocol. Nice needlework, shame about the face." The Doctor complimented it then removed the face to reveal the clockwork beneath. His eyes grew larger and shone at the sight. "Oh, you are beautiful! No, really, you are. You're gorgeous!" Rita rolled her eyes but did have to admit that the clockwork did look amazing considering it would have most likely killed her after the Doctor.

"Look at that. Space age clockwork, I love it." He pointed showing Rita and the others then showed the brunette his arm. "I've got chills!" she giggled lightly at his comment. The Doctor then turned to the droid "Listen, seriously, I mean this from the heart, and, by the way, count those," he pointed to his chest. "It would be a crime, it would be an act of vandalism to disassemble you. But that won't stop me." The droid then beamed away obviously not liking the idea of being taken a part which was quite ironic considering what it had done to the ships crew.

"Short range teleport. Can't have got far. Could still be on board."

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"Rita?" the Doctor looked over to her.

"Hmm?"

"You coming?" he asked. Rita remembered what happened now and honestly didn't want to witness Madame de Pompadour shove her tongue down the Doctors throat. Not that she had an issue with it at all he could have whoever's tongue he wanted down his throat but Rita did not want to witness that in real life let alone think about it.

"Erm." She scratched the side of her head. "I'll stay here with Rose and Mickey."

"Is someone scared" he mocked her grinning.

"What?! No!" She shouted and narrowed her eyes in protest.

"Well come on then" He stood next to the fireplace waiting.

"No Doctor I'm going to stay- here!" she shouted the last word in a high-pitched shriek due to the Doctor pulling her onto the fireplace then flicking the switch to spin the fireplace.

"I hate you sometimes" Rita muttered stepping away from the fireplace once it stopped. "Why did you make me come with you?" She groaned.

"You can help me figure out why they want Reinette, foreknowledge and all."

"Fine" she groaned. The Doctor called out the girls name and played a string on the harp. After the sound of the harp stopped there was a slight cough in the room like someone was clearing their throat.

"Oh. Hello." The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "Er, I was just looking for Reinette. This is still her room, isn't it?" he gestured to the room they were currently in "We've been away, not sure how long." Rita rolled her eyes finding it unbelievable how the Doctor could not piece two and two together.

There was a faint voice down the corridor calling for the now older Reinette not looking away from the Doctor called back and the Doctor now had a shocked look on his face. "Go to the carriage, Mother. I will join you there." She turned back to the Doctor and Rita who slowly was backing up close to the fireplace finding the way Reinette was looking at the Doctor a little uncomfortable. She never really was one to be around people when this sort of thing was going around, she never knew what to do. However, the Doctor being well the Doctor didn't notice her gaze at all.

"It is customary, I think, to have imaginary friends only during one's childhood. You both are to be congratulated on your persistence."

"Reinette!" He grinned. "Well. Goodness, how you've grown."

"And you do not appear to have aged a single day. That is tremendously impolite of you." She stepped a little closer to the Doctor.

"Right, yes, sorry. Listen, lovely to catch up, but better be off, eh?" He noticed her slowly moving forward closer to him. "Don't want your mother finding you up here with strange people, do we?"

"Strange? How could you be a stranger to me? I've known you both since I was seven years old."

"Yeah, I suppose you have. We came the quick route."

She reached a hand up and touched his face, her eyes burning into his. Rita just stayed by the fireplace rocking on the heels of her shoes back and forth feeling very ignored. "You seem to be flesh and blood, at any rate, but this is absurd. Reason tells me you cannot be real."

"Oh, you never want to listen to reason" he chuckled.

"Mademoiselle! Your mother grows impatient." A male voice called from the hall Rita looked at the ground feeling uncomfortable with what was about to happen.

She turned her head towards the door then shouted. " A moment! So many questions. So little time." Reinette then pulled the Doctor in for a kiss that was quite long, the pair stumbled back, almost hitting Rita who only just managed to get out the way, however, something was wrong the Doctor wasn't doing anything he was just frozen. He looked like he had frozen and Rita could swear that for a moment she saw him try to push her off.

Reinette pulled away seeing that the Doctor was not enjoying it and then ran off out of the room.

"Mademoiselle Poisson!" The same voice from earlier called out just as Reinette ran out, the voice then was joined with its body the man's eyes growing wide seeing Rita just standing there and the Doctor mouth open and wide-eyed.

"Poisson? Reinette Poisson?" He scoffed. "No! No, no, no, no, no way. Reinette Poisson? Later Madame Etoiles? Later still mistress of Louis the Fifteenth, uncrowned Queen of France? Actress, artist, musician, dancer, courtesan, fantastic gardener!" He spoke way too fast for the man to keep up.

"Who the hell are you?!" He demanded looking at the Doctor

"I'm the Doctor, this is Rita by the way" he pointed at her who then waved. "And I almost snogged Madame de Pompadour. Ha, ha!" he flicked the switch and the two spun back around to the spaceship.

"Almost" Rita raised a brow.

The Doctor shrugged not replying. "I wasn't expecting it," he spoke cold and distant while he walked on not looking at the brunette who was slightly confused.

 _'Somethings don't play out how they look.'_ She repeatedly told herself over and over in her mind thinking back to how she _thought_ she saw the Doctor try and push Reinette away from him. The Doctor continued to walk not talking and Rita followed a little bothered by the silence since she knew this Doctors regeneration was most definitely not the quiet type.


	13. The Girl in the Fireplace - Two

"Every time." The Doctor mumbled breaking the minute or so of silence. "It's rule one. Don't wander off. I tell them, I do." Rule one. There could be anything on this ship." He groaned seeing that Rose or Mickey was nowhere to be found.

"Like a horse?" Rita suggested.

"What do you mean like a- oh," he said as a white horse trotted its way around the corner in the view of the pair.

"Hello there aren't you pretty"

"well thanks, I do- oh," he said seeing Rita walk right past him and to the horse patting it lightly.

"You're very pretty too Doctor" Rita joked giggling a little and rolling her eyes continuing to pat the horse. "Are you lost?" She asked it obviously getting no response.

"We better-" before he could continue Rita climbed on top of the horse sitting on the saddle and giggling a little more. "Nice view up here Doctor, I'm taller than you now"

"Oh you're still shorter than me" he chuckled shaking his head. "Come on then we need to find Rose and Mickey"

Rita let out a sigh and jumped off the horse then walking over to the Doctor, following him once again.

"Rose?" The Doctor spoke aloud Rita walking beside him as they tried to find her and Mickey. Rita noticed that the horse was following them and giggled at the sight. 

The Doctor noticed what she found so funny and turned around stopping in his tracks, pointing at the horse snapping at it. "Will you stop following her? She's not your mother." 

"Oi" Rita hit him lightly. "She has a name thank you very much."

"Right now, she Cheeky" He smirked.

"That's Rita to you, both of you" She pointed at the Doctor raising her brows then at the horse. The Doctor shook his head lightly then noticed a pair of white wooden doors and opened them Rita groaned a little raising a hand over her eyes to shielded them from the light outside.

"So this is where you came from, eh, horsey?" He asked. "Come on cheeky" he gestured to Rita to follow as she shook her head. He quietly walked over to a wall and watched Reinette, Rita soon joined in and leant on the wall next to him.

"Ooo spying on Reinette fun for us" Rita giggled at the Doctor who gave her a playful glare while he tugged her down hiding behind the stone wall.

"It's not spying," he paused thinking of the right words. "More like us making sure she's okay"

"Looks fine to me" Rita peaked up looking over the wall next to the Doctor. She couldn't hear what was being said but remembered it was something about the king from knowing 'the episode' thankfully the Doctor could hear what was being discussed thanks to his 'superior Time Lord DNA' so he calls it. "So what are they saying" He looked at her frowning with his 'well you should know foreknowledge and all' expression. "I can't remember everything I'm not you." She read him like a book then rolled her eyes something she noticed she was now doing a lot. Cheeky? Maybe he was right about the brunette.

"Madame de Chateauroux is dying" He spoke bluntly telling her what she asked to hear. "Someone asked if Reinette loves the King." The Doctor turned pulling Rita down. "Sorry" he whispered. "She turned this way, don't think she saw us" he slowly rose up again looking over the wall Rita joining him. "Ooh, there's a ball and madame de pompadour will dance with the King and become his new mistress" Rita wrinkled her nose. "I hate dancing, never have been good at it, then again neither have you" She laughed quietly. "'Rose! I've just remembered!'" She quoted "'I can dance! I can dance!'"

The Doctor scrunched up his face at her. "You know it's really creepy that you remember that stuff and you wasn't even there"

"Still can't dance" She wiggled her finger in front of his face mocking him and making her way back to the door they had exited with the horse still following them. "Come on Doctor, you two Arthur," she said over her shoulder.

"Arthur?" He questioned catching up and walking beside her.

"Good name for a horse." She shrugged.

"Fair enough" he shrugged back at her. "What do you think about France then?" He asked interested about her opinion.

"It's nice" she tilted her head. "Always wanted to go to Disney Land Paris as a kid. Never did go, no one to take me"

"So you have no family?" He asked for confirmation He knew about Rita never knowing her parents but the rest of her family was as much of a mystery as much of a mystery as how she even got on that Dalek ship.

"Not that I know of" she shrugged again as if the subject didn't faze her in the slightest.

"Where did you live?" He asked "when you were younger"

"Heard of Bath?" She looked at him. "The place in England not an actual bath" Rita chuckled.

"Been there before, quite nice"

"I lived there then I moved to London and worked in |Tescos the shop after I couldn't find any schools willing to take me as a science teacher." She explained.

"Sounds interesting." He nodded, his eyes lighting up slightly at the mention of science, not that she noticed this. "Why did you move?"

"Bath was boring me, you know like you feel you have to just go out there and explore. I felt like I had to and London was new and far from home, not too far but didn't feel like far enough" He smiled knowing that exact feeling when he left Gallifrey the first time.

"What is far enough?" He asked as they continued to walk Arthur slowly following behind them.

"I don't know. Never found out. I may never know." She shrugged. "How far is far enough for Rita Stone? The unsolved mystery"

"That could be a book" the Doctor smirked.

"Best get writing then" Rita patted his arm.

"Cheeky"

They walked a little further until they both spotted Mickey and Rose watching Reinette and the King through what seemed like a mirror.

"Blimey, look at this guy. Who does he think he is?" Mickey watched the King.

"The King of France." The Doctor informed them startling both of them a little.

"Oh, here's trouble." Rose groaned. "What you two been up to?" She asked crossing her arms.

"Oh, this and that." He tilted his head from left to right. "Became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat, picked a fight with a clockwork man." Arthur then appeared behind them neighing. "Oh, and we met a horse."

"He also 'almost'" Rita used her hands to make speech marks in the air "snogged Madame de Pompadour"

"Really?" Rose looked at Rita quite shocked. "Why almost?"

"I wasn't expecting it" He cut in.

"I saw it coming the way she was looking at you, oh yes she definitely likes you" Rita shoved the Doctor playfully chuckling to herself. "And I'm not talking about witnessing it right in front of me."

The Doctor opened his mouth to protest before Mickey cut in. "What's a horse doing on a spaceship?" He frowned deep in thought noticing Arthur and bringing back a dead conversation.

"Mickey, what's pre-Revolutionary France doing on a spaceship?" The Doctor questioned. Not getting a reply he answered his own question. "Get a little perspective." He shook his head. "See these?" He pointed to what looked like a window allowing the four to see France. "They're all over the place. On every deck. Gateways to history. But not just any old history."

"Wait for it" Rita held up a finger pausing. "Now" she clicked her fingers and Reinette walked in the room.

"Hers. Nice timing by the way" He nodded at Rita who smugly smiled. "Time windows deliberately arranged along the life of one particular woman. A spaceship from the fifty-first century stalking a woman from the eighteenth. Why?"

"Not even I know" Rita admitted watching Reinette move over to the mirror.

"Who is she?" Rose asked.

"Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, known to her friends as Reinette. One of the most accomplished women who ever lived."

"Soon to be Madame de Pompadour" Rita added.

"So has she got plans of being the Queen, then?"

"No, he's already got a Queen." The Doctor nodded over to the King. "She's got plans of being his mistress."

"Oh, I get it." Rose now understood. "Camilla."

"I think this is the night they met. The night of the Yew Tree ball."

"Correct" Rita nodded at his good guess.

"In no time at flat, she'll get herself established as his official mistress, with her own rooms at the palace. Even her own title. Like Rita said, Madame de Pompadour"

"The Queen must have loved her." Rose breathed out.

"Oh, she did. They get on very well." The Doctor nodded at her.

"The King's wife and the King's girlfriend?" Mickey said like it was foreign which it ironically was but for the year? Nothing strange about it.

"France. It's a different planet."

"For you quite literally" Rita smiled up at him as he watched Reinette. "Oh, I almost forgot" Rita turned to Mickey. "Can I borrow that? Well, can he?" She pointed her thumb at the Doctor. Mickey nodded throwing the fire extinguisher to him.

The Doctor raised a brow at the brunette who shook her head at him. "Secrets" was all Rita said before Reinette turned around to a woman standing away with her back to her in the corner of the room.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked then harshened her tone demanding the figure now. "Show yourself!"

"Come on fireplace man" Rita pulled the Doctor he flicked a switch and the mirror switched. They both jumped, though.

"Hello, Reinette. Hasn't time flown?"

"Reinette" Rita nodded at the woman.

"Fireplace people!" She shouted shocked and in joy.

"You should step away from that" Rita suggested. Reinette stepped back towards the brunette not asking any questions while the Doctor sprayed the droid throwing the extinguisher over to Mickey. "Thank you, Mickey" Rita thanked him. The droid then began to creek.

"What's it doing?" Mickey asked.

"Switching back on. Melting the ice." He replied not taking his eyes off the droid. He stepped closer to Rita a little then a little forward as if he was trying to protect her without her noticing.

"I can see what your doing Doctor" she rolled her eyes. "Not an idiot you know"

"Oh, I know that." He tilted his head. "Worth a try, though" she pursued her lips nodding. The brunette had to give him that one always good to have a try.

"And then what?" Mickey asked. _'Are always going to bring back dead conversation?'_ Rita thought in her head.

"Then it kills everyone in the room." He said bluntly. "Focuses the mind, doesn't it? Who are you?" He questioned it then asked another. "Identify yourself." He huffed a little and turned to Reinette standing on the other side of Rita. "Order it to answer me."

"Why should it listen to me?" A confused Reinette asked the Doctor then looked at Rita for an answer.

He told her truthfully after she didn't see his gaze while she watched the clockwork droid. "I don't know. It did when you were a child. Let's see if you've still got it."

Reinette breathed in deeply and turned to the droid. "Answer his question. Answer any and all questions put to you."

"I am repair droid seven." It finally answered.

"What happened to the ship, then? There was a lot of damage."

"Ion storm." It told him. "Eighty-two percent systems failure."

"That ship hasn't moved in over a year. What's taken you so long?"

"We did not have the parts." It simply replied.

"Always comes down to that, doesn't it? The parts." Mickey chipped in.

"What's happened to the crew? Where are they?"

"Doctor" Rita muttered.

"We did not have the parts." It repeated.

The Doctor didn't hear his brunette friend and persisted with the question slightly altering it to see if the droid would answer. "There should have been over fifty people on your ship. Where did they go?"

"We did not have the parts." It repeated once more.

"Fifty people don't just disappear. Where-"

"Doctor" Rita now placed a hand on his arm gaining his attention. She looked up at him sadly. "Oh." He breathed not looking away from her studying her face for any other secrets. He then looked over to the droid. "You didn't have the parts, so you used the crew."

"The crew?" Mickey repeated the last two words.

"We found a camera with an eye in it, and there was a heart wired into machinery," Rose told the Doctor her heart sinking a little.

"It was just doing what it was programmed to. Repairing the ship anyway it can, with whatever it could find. No one told it the crew weren't on the menu." He looked back at Rose. "What did you say the flight deck smelt of?"

"Someone cooking," Rose said in realisation of what she said.

"Flesh plus heat. Barbeque." He then narrowed his eyes to the droid. "But what are you doing here? You've opened up time windows. That takes colossal energy. Why come here? You could have gone to your repair yard. Instead, you come to eighteenth-century France? Why?"

"One more part is required." It told him.

"Then why haven't you taken it?"

The droid snapped its head in the direction of Rita and Reinette. More specifically Reinette. "She is incomplete."

"What, so, that's the plan, then. Just keep opening up more and more time windows, scanning her brain, checking to see if she's done yet."

"Why her? You've got all of history to choose from. Why specifically her?" Rose pointed out the obvious question no one else had asked.

"We are the same."

Reinette widened her eyes and fired back horrified with the droids answer. "We are not the same. We are in no sense the same."

"We are the same." It repeated.

"Get out of here." Reinette cried out now terrified. "Get out of here this instant!"

"Reinette, no!" The droid instantly teleported away from them. "It's back on the ship. Rose, take Mickey and Arthur. Get after it. Follow it. Don't approach it, just watch what it does."

"Arthur?" Rose frowned confused with what he said.

"Good name for a horse." He looked down at Rita and winked. She felt her cheeks heat up slightly but didn't think anything of it, neither did he notice.

"No, you're not keeping the horse." Rose protected.

"I let you keep Mickey. Now go! Go! Go!" He gave her no time to protest any further closing the mirror door behind the two.

"Reinette," he turned to the woman. "You're going to have to trust me. I need to find out what they're looking for. There's only one way I can do that. It won't hurt a bit." He promised. Rita watched in amazement at what the Doctor was doing as he slowly brought his hands up to the woman's temples and closed his eyes.

"Fireplace man, you are inside my mind."

"Oh dear, Reinette. You've had some cowboys in here." He said.

"You are in my memories." Reinette whispered. "You walk among them."

"If there's anything you don't want me to see, just imagine a door and close it. I won't look. Oh, actually there's a door just there. You might want to cl... Oh, actually, several." Rita giggled a little at this. "Rita hush" he said calmly.

"Sorry" she whispered.

"To walk among the memories of another living soul. Do you ever get used to this?" She asked him.

"I don't make a habit of it."

"How can you resist?" She asked.

"What age are you?" He changed the topic ignoring the question.

"So impertinent a question so early in the conversation. How promising. Apologies Fireplace woman" Rita's eyes widened.

"No, not my question," he told her firmly not being fazed by her mentioning of Rita whether he just didn't care about her mentioning or didn't show it was another question in itself. "Theirs. You're twenty-three and for some reason, that means you're not old enough. Sorry, you might find old memories reawakening. Side effect." He informed her.

"Oh, such a lonely childhood." Reinette sighed.

"Oh no" Rita mumbled through a breath.

"It'll pass. Stay with me."

"Oh, Doctor. So lonely. So very, very alone."

"What do you mean, alone?" He frowned a little. "You've never been alone in your life. When did you start calling me Doctor?"

"Such a lonely little boy. Lonely then and almost as lonely now if it wasn't for her. How can you bear it?"

 _'Her?'_ Rita thought. _'Must be talking about Rose. Some things don't play out how they look.'_ She shrugged it off.

The Doctor removed his hand from her temples. "How did you do that?"

"A door, once opened, can be stepped through in either direction. Oh, Doctor. My lonely Doctor. Dance with me."

The Doctor widened his eyes. "I can't."

"Quite literally" Rita pipped up then snapped her mouth shut when the Doctor looked over at her mouthing 'not the time'

"Dance with me." She repeated not taking no for an answer.

"This is the night you dance with the King." He told her.

"Then first, I shall make him jealous."

"I can't." He gritted his teeth.

"Doctor. Doctor who? It's more than just a secret, isn't it?"

The Doctor and Rita both widened their eyes at the woman. "What did you see?"

"The way you look at her" She smiled at him.

"Who?" He frowned.

"You don't know do you?" She said in realisation. "Hiding it away from yourself unable to see the truth that lies beyond. If you will not dance young Rita shall" she turned to the brunette who frantically shook her head.

"I don't dance"

"You shall learn" she took the brunette's hand and dragged her away. Rita looked at the Doctor who just stood there frozen trying to understand what Reinette meant by _her._

Reinette had Rita given a fine dress to wear. Rita thought otherwise thinking that it was definitely too tight. She pulled the girl into the ballroom and began to 'teach' her to dance.

"You say you are no good yet you look better than me" Reinette commented.

"I'm only copying what you're doing"

"Copying is something people do by using their eyes to see. You have not looked down once" Reinette definitely was good at seeing the small details.

"Why did you make me dance?" Rita finally asked.

"To make him jealous" she smiled a little mischievous.

"Him?" Rita frowned. "Who?"

"Doctor who" Reinette replied.

"Why would it make him jealous?" Rita looked at the woman as if it wasn't obvious enough.

"You will have to see that for yourself when the time is right"

"But what do you mean?" Rita asked again. She noticed Reinette gaze behind the brunette. Out of curiosity, Rita turned around she saw the Doctor leaning against the wall on the other side of the room watching them both.

"So alone without his precious stone" Reinette muttered.

"Excuse me" Rita rose a brow.

"It was in his head" she replied. "Tick tock Rita"

Rita frowned at how much it didn't make sense, she must have been saying something about the droids. "You don't seem scared of the droids at all?"

"They are childhood monsters, nightmares why would one be scared of a child's fear?"

"So you aren't scared at all?"

"Scared doesn't begin to explain it, simple," she told her. "It's my... my apologies" She shook her head.

"For what?"

"For what I did to them years ago, your face" she chuckled.

"My face?" Rita frowned.

"Never mind" Reinette shook her head again then looked back to see the Doctor smiling at the pair. "Go on, you are very good at dancing Rita" she complimented the brunette. "You have to save your friends now don't you"

"How-"

"I could see the worry in your eye. "Go on" she instructed. "Don't say until it is right though" Rita had no idea what the woman was on about. "Your clothes are where you changed before" she whispered to Rita before pushing her in the Doctors direction. She stumbled a little then found her feet.

"Stupid heels" she muttered.

"I thought you hated being shorter than me" the Doctor raised a brow as she walked over. _'Stupid 'superior Time Lord hearing'_ she thought quoting him

"Oh I do" she walked over to him. "Not enough to kill my feet by wearing heels. Vans are much better"

"Oh come on obviously converse is better"

"Sandshoes" Rita smirked and the Doctor playfully glared at her.

"What were you and Reinette talking about then?" The Doctor then asked looking over at the woman who was watching both him and Rita, she noticed his gaze over to her and nodded at him to say a simple 'hello', she turned around and walked off disappearing into the sea of people in the ballroom.

"Oh you know... stuff" she mentally slapped herself at the stupidity of her answer.

"What kind of... stuff?" He smirked mimicking her.

"Now that may just make the universe explode, Doctor" she lied not wanting to tell what they really spoke about.

"Best not then" he agreed.

"We better go now, Rose and Mickey might be in a bit of a situation, I'm going to change first this is literally compressing me to death, feels like Cassandra all over again" she started to walk away then turned back pointing at the Doctor in warning. "Don't you go anywhere Time Lord." He raised his hands before she walked off grinning a little to herself.


	14. The Girl in the Fireplace - Three

"What's going on? Doctor?" Rose shouted waking up noticing the droids around her as well as being chained down.

"Rose?" Mickey looked over at the blonde. "They're going to chop us up, just like the crew. They're going to chop us up and stick us all over their stupid spaceship." His voice became harsher "And where's the Doctor? Where's the precious Doctor now? He's been gone for flipping hours, that's where he is!" Mickey shouted. "Rita would see this coming and yet she's not here either!"

"You are compatible." The droid interrupted Mickey's rant.

Rose widened her eyes at the droid. "Well, you might want to think about that. You really, really, might, because me and Mickey, we didn't come here alone. Oh no. And trust me, you wouldn't want to mess with our designated driver." She was panicking now and frantically looking between the droid and Mickey. The droid then extended its blade from its hand. Rose began to talk trying to stall the droid until Rita and the Doctor appeared.

"Ever heard of the Daleks?" She asked. "Remember them? They had a name for our friend. They had myths about him and a name. They called him the-" there was a loud crash before Rose could finish. She and Mickey both frowned then widened their eyes to hear the voice of what sounded like the Doctor singing drunkenly.

"I could've danced all night, I could've danced all night!" he loudly sang.

"If you could stand on your own then yes you could of" Rita groaned.

"They called him the... They called him the... the" she stuttered. The Doctor then stumbled in dragging Rita with him. He had his arm around her using her weight to stay upright. His tie around his head and a goblet in the hand not around the brunette.

"And still have begged for more. I could've spread my wings and done a thou." Rita giggled at the Doctors acting of drunk singing. He tapped her nose. The brunette automatically stopped giggling her eyes wide and her cheeks flushing with colour not that the Doctor noticed.

"Have you met the French?" He asked Rose and Mickey. "My god, they know how to party."

"Oh, look at what the cat dragged in." Rose groaned. "The Oncoming Storm and his precious Stone"

"Precious?" Rita scoffed. "And his?" She scoffed again shaking her head. "I want to know who is spreading that name of me around, first Reinette and now you."

"Oh, you sound just like your mother." The Doctor pointed at Rose almost falling over Rita who lucky grabbed him before he fell. His arm wrapping itself around her waist, her cheeks filled with colour again but didn't want to say anything to make it awkward knowing that he was actually not drunk at all.

"What've you been doing?" Rose asked definitely sounding like her mother. "Where've you been?"

"Well, among other things, I think just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early." He laughed. "Do you know, they've never even seen a banana before. Always take a banana to a party, Rose. Bananas are good."

"I hate bananas" Rita scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Pears are worse, though."

"Not wrong there" the Doctor whispered to her dropping the drunk act before giving his attention to the droid bringing the act back. "Oh ho, ho, ho, ho, brilliant. It's you." He pointed to the droid its blade still hovering over Rose's neck. "You're my favourite, you are. You are the best! Do you know why? Because you're so thick. You're Mister Thick Thick Thickity Thick Face from Thicktown, Thickania." He started to walk away pulling Rita along with him. He then turned back around and said to the droid right up in its face: "And so's your dad."

The Doctor looked over at Rose. "Do you know what they were scanning Reinette's brain for?" He asked, getting no answers.

"Her milometer" Rita answered for the blonde.

The Doctor nodded at the brunette still acting slightly drunk. "They want to know how old she is. Know why? Because this ship is thirty-seven years old, and they think that when Reinette is thirty-seven when she's complete, then her brain will be compatible." He chuckled. "So, that's what you're missing, isn't it, hmm? Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason, God knows what, only the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do."

The Droid spoke up after the Doctor finished his speech. "The brain is compatible."

"Compatible?" He scoffed a little. "If you believe that, you probably believe this is a glass of wine." He removed his arm from Rita the girl shivered a little at the sudden movement. He then removed the droids mask and poured the contents of the goblet into the head of the droid.

"Multigrain anti-oil." Rita told them both before the Doctor could he rolled his eyes at her.

"If it moves, it doesn't." He added. "Rita mind pulling that switch?" He asked her pointing to a switch beside her. The brunette nodded pulling the switch, the other droids in the room hunched over, turning off.

"You two, that's enough lying about. Time we got the rest of the ship turned off." He went to free them both using the sonic screwdriver. Before he could free them the locks opened.

The Doctor looked over at Rita and frowned. "How did you?"

"It's simple" she rolled her eyes. "One of these switches were bound to free them."

"Oh, you are brilliant" he grinned.

"I don't know" Rita shrugged.

"Enough of how brilliant she apparently is" Mickey huffed. "Are those things safe?"

"Yeah." The Doctor nodded still smiling at the brunette. "Safe. Safe and thick, way I like them. Okay. All the time windows are controlled from here. I need to close them all down. Zeus plugs. He started to pat himself down. "Where are my Zeus plugs?"

"Knew I forgot something" she groaned.

"You were too busy laughing at him acting drunk weren't you?" Rose raised a brow at the brunette who looked away not denying or protesting about the blonde's comment.

"I had them a minute ago. I was using them as castanets." the Doctor ignored them both thinking aloud and patting himself down..

"Why didn't they just open a time window to when she was thirty-seven?" Rose asked.

"With the amount of damage to these circuits, they did well to hit the right century. Trial and error after that. The windows aren't closing. Why won't they close?"

They heard a ding of a bell. "What's that?" Rose asked.

"I don't know. Incoming message?" The Doctor guessed looking at Rita for confirmation.

"Someone wants to speak to the droids that are here." Rita told them.

"Who does?" Mickey asked.

"Report from the field. One of them must still be out there with Reinette. That's why I can't close the windows. There's an override."

"Hmm" Rita sighed. "I hate overrides so much they sound fun but honestly they're not"

"What are you on about?" Mickey asked the brunette.

The Doctor looked down and saw that the contents of what he poured into the droid were now spilling out of the droid's hand onto his shoe.

"Well, that was a bit clever."

"They were my favourites as well" Rita groaned. The Doctor raised a brow at her in question. "What" she shrugged. "Just because I like vans doesn't mean I can't like converse as well. Even if they look like sandshoes" The switch Rita pulled earlier then moved back and the droids sprang back up.

"Right. Many things about this are not good." He raised his hands. "Message from one of your little friends?" He started to ramble. "Anything interesting?"

"She is complete. It begins" the droid then teleported away.

"What's happening?" Rose asked.

"One of them must have found the right time window. Now it's time to send in the troops. And this time they're bringing back her head." He rushed off and Rita followed on his heels.

"You found it, then?" Rose asked Rita and the Doctor.

"They knew I was coming. They blocked it off." He groaned running to an area where the Doctor and Rita could clearly see the ballroom that looked similar to the one she had been in before..

"I don't get it," Rose admitted. "How come they got in there?" She asked.

"They teleported. You saw them. As long as the ship and the ballroom are linked, their short range teleports will do the trick."

"Well, we'll go in the Tardis!" Rose shouted.

"We can't use the Tardis. We're part of events now." He soniced a screen

"Well, can't we just smash through?" Mickey suggested.

"Hyperplex this side, plate glass the other. We need a truck."

"We don't have a truck." Mickey pointed out the obvious.

"I know we don't have a truck!" Rita took the opportunity of the Doctor not paying attention to jump on the back of Arthur.

"No, no, no, no" he turned to her. "You're not coming"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes" she looked at him copying the tone in his voice. "I am coming"

"No Rita"

"Doctor I'm not going to sit here and let you do this."

"Do what?" Rose asked "What are we doing"

"Doctor, foreknowledge, I know what happens I can help!" Rita told him. _'Why am I arguing about this with him? I know he comes back'_ She thought.

"Well we've got to do something" Rose shouted to both of them stopping the argument.

"No. Smash the glass, smash the time window. There'd be no way back." Rose's eyes widened.

"Rose" Rita turned to the girl her face as serious as it had ever been. "Five and a half hours remember it.

There was a loud crash and people screamed in horror crouching towards the ground "Madame de Pompadour. You look younger every day." The Doctor said casually after Arthur landed on the ballroom floor as if jumping through a mirror was something that happened to him ever day. Rita clung onto him her head on his shoulder and her eyes tight shut.

"What the hell is going on?" The king asked as the Doctor jumped down off of Arthur then helped Rita.

"Oh." Reinette looked at the Doctor and Rita then over to the king. "This is my lover, the King of France." She nodded over to the King.

"Yeah? Well, I'm the Lord of Time" he walked over towards Reinette knelt down with three droids pointing its blades at her. "and here to fix the clock. Rita" he gestured to the brunette. She pulled the mask of the droid which slowly turned its head towards her then pointed its blade towards her.

"Forget it. It's over. For you and for us." He looked over at Rita sadly. They both then looked over at where the 'magic door' to the spaceship once stood. "Talk about seven years bad luck. Try three thousand."

The Doctor then started to explain. "The link with the ship is broken. No way back. You don't have the parts. How many ticks left in that clockwork heart, huh? A day? An hour? It's over. Accept that. I'm not winding you up." He said ironically. The droid dropped its head and the other droids jolted forward as well. One broke on the floor right next to Rita.

"You all right?" He asked Reinette helping her up.

She didn't answer his question instead asked her own. "What's happened to them?"

"They've stopped. They have no purpose now." He simply told her then walked over to Rita and shook his head a little.

"You know you didn't have to come here" the Doctor said looking up at the sky not taking his gaze away from it, staring up at the stars.

"And leave you here all alone? What kind of a friend do you think I am?" Rita asked him slightly scoffing.

"A bloody great one" he chuckled. "But you knew this was going to happen?" He asked her. "Why did you come? I know it's not so I'm alone, I have known you for quite a while now, I know you better than to take your word for saying that I would be lonely" he looked down at her meeting her gaze up at him.

"It smelt" she lied luckily enough to get him to believe her. "The ship smelt and I wasn't going to stay on it any longer."

"You could have stayed in the TARDIS she would have taken you home"

"What home" Rita shrugged not looking at all fazed by his mentioning of 'home' "My home if it even was a home is in a parallel world that is unreachable. I know you can't travel through parallel worlds Doctor, I'm not stupid."

"Well, I do know that" he nodded turning to the stars out the window again.

"Plus it isn't like I could get in the TARDIS" Rita chuckled.

"You have a key?" He looked at her frowning.

"No, I don't. You never gave me one"

"Well, Rita Stone" he reached into his pocket with the hand not holding what looked like a goblet. "We may never see the TARDIS ever again but here have a TARDIS key." He grinned at her placing the key into her hand.

"Thank you" Rita smiled looking up at the stars with the Doctor.

"You know all their names, don't you?" Reinette walked up behind them. "I saw that in your mind. The name of every star." She looked at the Doctor.

"What's in a name?" He asked then answered his own question. "Names are just titles. Titles don't tell you anything."

"Like the Doctor and the Stone"

"Like Madame de Pompadour." The Doctor grinned.

"'the Stone'?" Rita leant on her tip toes and whispered in the Doctors ear.

"Nothing I know of" he whispered back lying.

"I have often wished to see those stars a little closer." Reinette thought aloud. "Just as you have, I think."

"From time to time."

"Oh, I always do" Rita smiled at the woman.

"In saving me, you both trapped yourself. Did you know that would happen?" She asked them.

"Mmm. Pretty much."

"Knowing things before they happen is practially my life now"

"Yet, still you both came," Reinette spoke as if the Doctor would never have done this.

"Yeah, I did, didn't I? Catch me doing that again." Rita rolled her eyes at his comment.

"There were many doors between my world and yours. Can you not use one of the others?" She asked.

"When the mirror broke, the shock would have severed all the links with the ship. There'll be a few more broken mirrors and torn tapestries around here, I'm afraid, wherever there was a time window. I'll, I'll pay for any damage."

"As if you have money. Didn't even pay for the chips on Rose and your first date." Rita laughed.

"Wouldn't really call it at date" he quietly muttered. "Er, that's a thought, though, I'm going to need money. I was always a bit vague about money. Where do you get money?"

"From a job silly, some of us can't go sonicing it out of cash machines" the Doctor frowned confused, Rita shook her head while muttering 'secrets'

"So, here you are, my lonely angel and his stone, stuck on the slow path with me."

"Yep, the slow path." He looked at Rita who nodded to him. "Here's to the slow path." He toasted his drink with Reinettes, Rita not feeling like having a drink just shook her head.

"It's a pity." Reinette sighed. "I think I would've enjoyed the slow path."

"Well, we're not going anywhere."

"Oh, aren't you?" She asked raising a brow. Rita smirked at the girl "Take my hand." She gestured to both the Doctor and Rita who obeyed.

"I never got to speak to you very much Rita, apart from the ball, you seem to know the Doctor so much yet he knows you very little" Reinette looked between the Doctor and Rita trying to understand their friendship.

"I come from a world like this, parallel" Rita explained as they walked. "Exactly like this with a Reinette and France and the lot except the Doctor is a story" she looked at him sadly, however, he did not look fazed at all by her saying that he was 'not real' in 'her world' "A story told by something like a play" Rita tried to explain for her to possibly understand. "And in this world, it is all real. I know his past and future what will happen and now I get to do the best thing of all"

"Which is?" The Doctor asked.

"Well I get to live it" he smiled warmly at her.

They walk into a room which holds the exact same fireplace that was in Reinettes room as a child. "It's not a copy, it's the original," she told them. "I had it moved here and was exact in every detail."

"The fireplace." He walked over to it. "The fireplace from your bedroom. When did you do this?" He turned to her.

"Many years ago, in the hope that a door once opened, may someday open again. One never quite knows when one needs one's, Doctor and his stone. It appears undamaged. Do you think it will still work?" She asked him.

"You broke the bond with the ship when you moved it, which means it was offline when the mirror broke. That's what saved it."

"But..." Rita dragged the word out grinning..

"But the link is basically physical, and it's still physically here. Which might just mean, if we're lucky. If we're very, very, very, very, very, very lucky." He walked up to the fireplace and started to tap it his ear next to the fireplace. "Ah ha!" He laughed.

"What?"

"Loose connection." He took out his sonic screwdriver and used to on the fireplace

"Madame de pompadour" Rita looked at the woman then hugged her.

"Rita Stone" she hugged the brunette back.

Rita then walked over to the Doctor and stood beside him. "Need to get a man in." He hit the fireplace a little and Rita jumped on his back just like she had the first time they saw Reinette.

"Wish us luck!"

"No!" Reinette looked at them in horror, her face falling as did the Doctor's when he saw hers just before they disappeared.

"Madame de Pompadour!" The Doctor crouched down looking through the fireplace, Reinette looking down to see him and Rita. "Still want to see those stars?" He asked her.

"More than anything." She told him smiling.

"Give us two minutes. Pack a bag."

"Am I going somewhere?" She asked.

"Go to the window. Pick a star, any star." He smiled taking Rita's hand standing up then running towards where they had left Rose and Mickey.

"Rita! Doctor!" Rose jumped up running to them both. She pulled them both in for a hug with a wide grin on her face.

"How long did you wait?" He asked.

"Five and a half hours." she thought for a moment. Her eyes grew wide in realisation. "Just like Rita said" she looked at the brunette who winked at her.

"You remembered"

"Great. Always wait five and a half hours."

The Doctor stepped over to Mickey and shook his hand. "Where've you been?" Rose asked them both.

"Explain later. Into the Tardis." he pointed over to it. "Be with you in a sec. Come on Rita!" He shouted running over to the fireplace. Rita stood there for a moment her face falling.

"Rita?" He looked back at her she abruptly shook her head and ran over jumping on his back yet again.

"Making a habit of this" she giggled a little.

"Not going to become a habit, I didn't lie when I said you're heavy" She hit him on the head as he made the fireplace switch round again.

"Reinette?" The Doctor spoke out in the dark room Rita jumping off his back again. "You there, Reinette?" Rita followed him out of her room and into an area where the King stood by a window. "Reinette? Oh, hello." The King turned around.

"You just missed her. She'll be in Paris by six."

"Ah." The Doctor said in realisation, Rita looked down sadly and placed her hand in his he looked down at her and gave a sad smile.

"Good Lord." He looked at them both. "She was right. She said you two never looked a day older. So many years since I saw you both last, but not a day of it on your faces." The Doctor and Rita both pursed their lips raising their eyebrows at the King who slowly walked over to a drawer and took out two sealed letters. Rita rose a brow. "She spoke of the two of you many times. Often wished you'd visit again. You know how women are." He looked at Rita who scrunched up her nose, not in agreement. The King handed a letter to the Doctor and Rita then looked out the window.

"There she goes." It was raining outside as a hearse carrying Madame de Pompadour away to her final resting place.

"Leaving Versailles for the last time. Only forty-three when she died. Too young. Too young." a single tear rolled down Rita's face, she quickly wiped it away not wanting to look like she was making a scene. "Illness took her in the end. She always did work too hard. What does she say?" He looked at them both. The Doctor placed his letting inside his jacket, Rita just placing her hands behind her back with the letter.

"Of course." He nodded feeling a little rude. "Quite right."

There was a long peaceful silence. Rita thought about the woman thinking about how happy and amazed she would have been seeing all new and different planets, it just wasn't meant to be, though, Rita hoped that Reinette died peacefully due to the King saying her cause of death was due to illness. She broke the silence feeling that she and the Doctor could both think in the TARDIS, Rita could sit on the jump seat once more and think about the most successful woman. "We should go" was all she said looking up at the Doctor sadly, who nodded down at her in agreement taking her hand and then nodding over to the King, the three did not say a thing, words couldn't fit how Rita or the Doctor felt at this time and the King knew this too. They slowly approached the fireplace for the last time Rita sighing taking one last look at the woman she had grown to become friends with in such short time. The Doctor heard her quiet sigh and gently rubbed her shoulder in comfort he then pressed the switch and the pair watched the room of Madame de pompadour disappear for the last time being replaced by the ship which made the woman's path cross with Rita and the Doctors. The Doctor and Rita made their way back to the TARDIS the Doctor standing by the door Rita held up her hand and placed the key in smirking in the process, however wishing that Reinette could be there with them to witness this. The woman no doubt would not understand how much this moment meant to the brunette. The Doctor shook his head a small smile growing on his face watching the girl open the doors to the TARDIS with what was now her key for the first time.

"Why her?" Rose asked Rita and the Doctor looked at the blonde showing that they were listening. "Why did they think they could repair the ship with the head of Madame de Pompadour?"

"We'll probably never know." The Doctor told her truthfully. "There was massive damage in the computer memory banks. It probably got confused. The Tardis can close down the time windows now the droids are gone. Should stop it causing any more trouble."

"Are you all right?" Rose asked him.

"I'm always all right." he answered messing with the console not looking at the blonde.

"Rita?" She looked at the brunette sitting cross-legged in the jump seat like she always did her head looking down at her hands where the still sealed letter gently rested.

"Hmm?" Her head shot up a forced smile on her face. "Oh I'm fine" She smiled again forcefully at the blonde.

"Come on, Rose." Mickey could see the hurt on the brunettes face and the way the Doctor wasn't looking at the blonde distracting himself with the console. "It's time you showed me around the rest of this place." Mickey pulled Rose away from the console room. Rita looked down at the envelope sealed shut and then opened it as silently as possible knowing that the Doctor was no doubt opening his by now.

The Doctor, however, was not reading his letter. He was watching her, his eyes fixated on her, the way she looked down at the letter, the way her brown hair rested by her shoulder and the way she held the letter as if it was a delicate feather. His eyes flickered away after he realised what he was doing remembering that he also had a letter to read he reached into his jacket pocket and removed it from exactly where he had placed it, carefully opening the letter he began to read. The words seemed to last for minutes and he felt like he was reading an entire book. Her words continued to play over and over in his mind. _You think you are alone but the day you risked your life for mine I could see that you are not._ He sighed heavily thinking about what Reinette could possibly have meant. He was trying to think of every possible thing he could think of as to why she said that. All of his people had died and he was alone, so why did she say he was not? The Doctor thought of every logical explanation, he read the letter over multiple times then a simple line hidden inside of the final short paragraph stood out. _She needs you as much as you need her, don't let her take the lonely path alone my Doctor._

 _'Her?_ He thought deeply sighing. _'She couldn't mean?'_ He thought to himself looking over at the brunette still staring down at the paper resting in her hand. No that was impossible the Doctor promised himself that mistake would not happen again she had no one and he was the last person she needed to loose, he also lost the one he thought he had, his best friend years ago. But the way he looked at her, even after telling himself over and over that he wasn't he knew deep down that he was and he didn't like it, but he also loved it.


	15. Rise of the Cybermen

Rita walked into the console room the Doctor and Rose sitting on the floor talking about what sounded like an adventure Rita had not been on with the pair. She hopping in the jump seat and rested her head in her hands listening intently to the story. "And that weird munchkin lady with the big eyes? Do you remember? the way she looked at you! And then she opens her mouth and fire comes out!" The Doctor mimicked fire coming out of his mouth with his hands Rita chuckled at his gesture feeling much happier that the Doctor looked better after what had happened the day before.

"I thought I was going to get frazzled!" Rose said her voice going a higher pitch laughing with the Doctor.

"Yeah. One minute she's standing there, and the next minute roar!" He said quickly looking very passionate about the conversation thinking about the adventure.

"Yeah. where was that, then? What happened?" Mickey asked the Doctor looked over forgetting he was even there blinking a few times.

"Oh, it was on this er," he scrached the back of his head looking between Mickey and the button he was holding down. "This er planet thing. Asteroid. It's a long story, you had to be there. Er, what're you doing that for?" He asked looking back at the button.

"Because you told me to." Mickey replied as if the Doctor was acting like an idiot.

"When was that?"

"About half an hour ago"

"Er, you can let go now." the Doctor mumbled.

"Well, how long's it been since I could've stopped?" Mickey let go frowning at the Doctor clearly annoyed knowing that the Doctor defiantly forgot about him.

"Ten minutes?" He said also like a question. "Twenty?" He added. "Twenty nine?"

"You just forgot me!" Mickey accused feeling rather hurt. "You remember Rose and Rita but forget about me!"

"No, no, no." He protested. "I was just, I was," he tried to think of a good enough excuse looking over at Rose and Rita who both shook their heads at him signaling her was on his own for this one. "I was calibrating. I was just. No, I know exactly what I'm doing." He told Mickey Rita whined as she was violently shaken to the floor she heard a loud bang, she placed her her hands on the back of her head protecting it if anything suddenly fell on top of her. She knelt up and placed her hands on the jump seat the Doctor and Rose peering over the console the Doctor frantically pressing buttons and switches.

"What's happened?" Rose asked fear in her voice.

"The time vortex is gone. That's impossible. It's just gone." There was then another shake. "Brace yourself! We're going to crash!" They all dive to the floor again Rita in the same position as before with her hands over her head. The TARDIS suddenly stoped moving, Rita saw nothing but darkness.

"Everyone all right?" The Doctor rose his head asking in concern. "Rita? Rose? Mickey?"

"I'm fine. I'm okay. Sorry. Yeah." Mickey muttered standing up in shook.

"I'll live- oh" Rita mumbled. "Sorry" Rita slowly walked over to the Doctor and Rose placing a hand on his shoulder in comfort knowing how much he loved the TARDIS.

"She's dead. The Tardis is dead." The Doctor looked at what once was what Rita liked to call 'the heart of the TARDIS' not that anyone knew that. The bluey green light which once brought Rita hope had died out to nothing but dark and emptiness.

"You can fix it?" Rose asked sounding very concerned about their current situation.

"There's nothing to fix. She's perished. The last TARDIS in the universe. Extinct."

"I'm sorry" Rita looked up at him sadly taking his hand in hers.

"We can get help, yeah?" Rose questioned her voice shaking a little. The Doctor walked around to what Rita thought was a computer screen. She also knew that it did not have the latest version of windows but was able to watch the football. The screen was dead, everything in the TARDIS was dead.

"Where from?" he countered her question.

"Well, we've landed. We've got to be somewhere." Rose was now hoping for anything, anyone to help them, Rita, however, knew that no one could help them, the Doctor was the best there was no one who knew the TARDIS like he did, the last of the Time Lords there was no one else they would just have to wait twenty-four hours from when the Doctor found the small shining hope of light in the TARDIS later.

The Doctor slowly shook his head at the blonde and carefully told her the harsh truth hoping not to cause her to break down in tears. "We fell out of the vortex, through the void, into nothingness. We're in some sort of no place. The silent realm. The lost dimension."

"Otherwise known as London." Mickey laughed popping his head back into the TARDIS after looking outside. The Doctor frowned walking towards the TARDIS doors taking Rita with him, Rose behind them.

They walked out of the TARDIS. "London, England, Earth. Hold on." He jumped down and picked up a newspaper off the floor.

"First of February this year not exactly far-flung, is it?"

"Oo four days till my birthday" Rita grinned. "Being 19 is fun, though" she then pouted. "I will have to be all like a mature adult than" she scrunched up her nose.

The Doctor snorted a laugh. "You do surprise me Rita Stone, sometimes you surprisingly act older than I am and others you act like a small child" Rita rolled her eyes shoving him a little. "Anyways So this is London."

"Yep," Mickey replied.

"Your city." He asked Rita could see where he was going with this looking up at the sky to what he was seeing.

"That's the one."

"Just as we left it."

"Bang on." _Oh, poor Mickey_ Rita shook her head.

"And that includes the Zeppelins?" The Doctor finally pointed out seeing Rita rolling her eyes at how blind Mickey had been not seeing what the Doctor was doing.

"What the hell?" He looked up.

"That's beautiful," Rose said in awe following the Doctor and Rita's gaze.

"Okay, so it's London with a big international Zeppelin festival." Mickey knew that obviously wasn't right.

"This is not your world, Rita?" He raised a brow.

"Not mine" she shrugged.

"But if the date's the same." He frowned. "It's parallel, right? Am I right? Like a parallel Earth? Like where Rita is from but this one has Zeppelins. Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?" Mickey was slightly annoying Rita but his repetitiveness, however, the girl kept her mouth shut not wanting to cause an argument even though there was one soon already.

"Must be." The Doctor shrugged still looking up at the sky.

"So, a parallel world where-" Rose started to talk slowly making her way over to a board with her dad's picture on it.

"Oh, come on. You've seen it on films. Like an alternative to our world where everything's the same but a little bit different, like-" Rita then interrupted.

"Mickey did I never fully explain it to you?" she chuckled "parallel world and that expert over here" she pointed to herself grinning.

"I think I'm the expert" the Doctor raised his brows.

"Anyway like I was saying before I got rudely interrupted" he shot a glaring gaze over to Rita. "This is a world what is like ours but different somethings are slightly different like Tony Blair never got elected."

"And he's still alive," Rose mumbled and then all turned round to her. "A parallel world and my dad's still alive." She mumbled again.

"Rose" Rita spoke sadly. "Don't look at the advert"

"But it's him" she argued.

"Don't look at it," the Doctor told her walking forward to stand almost in front of it Rita following due to their hands still being connected. "Rose." He said firmly. "Don't even think about it. This is not your world."

"But he's my dad" she stared at the board not looking away from it. She slowly raised her hand as if it would disappear if she moved too fast. The blonde then gently touched the board then jumped back when it began to move.

"Trust me on this." Pete Tyler from the advert spoke.

"Well, that's weird. But he's real." She continued to stare at it not even looking at the Doctor, Mickey or Rita.

"Trust me on this." The advert played again.

"He's a success." She began to mumble. "He was always planning these daft little schemes. Health food, drinks and stuff. Everyone said they were useless. But he did it." The Doctor let go of Rita's hand standing in front of Rose giving her a seriously concerned look.

"Rose, if you've ever trusted me, then listen to me now." He noticed the blonde shifting her head a little to look round him and at advert Pete Tyler "Stop looking at it. Your father's dead. He died when you were six months old." He told her the harsh truth. "That is not your Pete. That is a Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie, his own Rose. His own daughter who is someone else, but not you. You can't see him. Not ever."

"Doctor" Rita whispered to him. He looked down at her giving his full attention. She pulled him away to talk to him without Rose hearing.

"Hmm?" He looked down at her giving his full attention.

"Let Rose calm down." He looked at her about to argue and tell them all to go to the TARDIS. "She needs time, I know how she's feeling" Rita looked over at the blonde staring at the board. "Kinda, I was shocked when I saw you are Rose sure you wasn't dead" she said a little more quietly. "You two weren't even real in my world and here you are, so give her time" she finished her speech then headed Back towards the TARDIS not saying a word and hoping that the Doctor would accept and follow her advise.

"Stay with her" the Doctor spoke to Mickey then ran inside the TARDIS after Rita.

"What did you mean?" He asked her walking in to find her sitting on the jump seat. "About calming down" he explained. "It didn't take you long to believe me" he pointed out slumping down on the seat next to her.

"Doctor" she gave him an 'are you stupid look' "Until we reached the TARDIS I thought I was dreaming even if I thought I told you I believed you earlier. I lie just like you do, she needs to clear her head she can't just snap out of it instantly, she just saw her dead dad on a sign looking very alive"

He nodded in understanding agreeing with her. "I guess you're right"

"When am I not?" She smirked.

"Cheeky" he shoved her a little. "Sorry about the TARDIS" he shrugged. "Guess it wouldn't have mattered if we took the long path with Madame de pompadour now" he chuckled. "Still stuck somewhere now"

"Ah but Doctor there is always Rose and Mickey." She raised a finger.

"I hate domestics" he scrunched his nose up at the thought.

"Of course you would, anyone would if they had a ship that travelled though time and space with almost infinite rooms and endless possibilities." He smiled at her finding it unbelievable how she was explaining the TARDIS like this. "We'll get out of here though" she grinned sheepishly. "Whoops that was a secret"

The Doctor and Rose turned their heads to the TARDIS doors they had heard shut. The Doctor noticed it was only Mickey and grumbled "I told you to keep an eye on her." He basically shouted at the man.

"She's all right." Mickey protested.

The Doctor huffed arguing with the man. "She goes wandering off! Parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house. All those temptations calling out."

"Oh, so it's just Rose, then? Nothing out there to tempt me or Rita?"

"Well, I don't know, I can't worry about everything plus Rita knows all about parallel worlds." He stood up and walked over to the console. "If I could just get this thing to..." he then gave it a strong kick and gritted his teeth a little.

"Did that help?" Mickey asked.

"Yes."

"Did that hurt?" Mickey looked at him smugly.

"Yes. Ow." He groaned shaking his leg a little. Rita giggled making her remember 'the episode' where the Doctor was hopping around on one foot to try and get rid of the radiation he absorbed.

The Doctor sat back down next to Rita still grumbling with a slight pain in his foot.  
"We're not meant to be here. The TARDIS draws its power from the universe, but it's the wrong universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine."

"Poor girl" Rita mumbled standing up then patting the console. The Doctor smiled a little at how much she cared.

"But I've seen it in comics." Mickey started. "People go hopping from one alternative world to another. It's easy didn't Rita do that?"

"No she didn't, I don't know what happened there but she didn't do that. You can't do that anymore. Not in the real world. It used to be easy. When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea." Rita slowly made her way over to him sitting back down in the jump seat knowing where he was going with this. "Then they died, and took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind."

"Then how did we get here?" Mickey asked.

"I don't know. Accident? Should've been impossible. Now we're trapped. What's that?" He suddenly looked down and noticed a little green light.

"What?" Mickey frowned. Rita beamed leaning closer to the light.

"That, there." He pointed to it. Mickey leant in. "Is that a reflection? It's a light!" The Doctor shouted happily. "Is it? Is that a light? I think that's a light." The Doctor removed the grate "That's all we need. We've got power! Rita, Mickey, we've got power! Ha!" He grinned staring at the light.

"Well come on then!" Rita took the grate from the Doctor. "We need to get that light don't we?" Rita asked.

"Yes we do" he grinned happily as if it was Christmas. He then began to pull things out of underneath the TARDIS. He continued to pull things out of the TARDIS then jumped down into the hole he had created getting closer and closer to the small green light. "It's alive!" He beamed managing to reach the light, picking it up smiling at it like an idiot carefully holding it in both hands. Jumping out of the hole.

"What is it?" Mickey asked watching the Doctor who had a look of awe on his face.

"It's nothing. It's tiny. One of those insignificant little power cells that no one ever bothers about, and it's clinging onto life, with one little ounce of reality, tucked away inside."

"It's beautiful." Rita said in awe staring at the light with the same expression as the Doctor her head resting on his shoulder on her tiptoes.

"Enough to get us home?" Mickey asked.

"Not yet. I need to charge it up."

"We could go outside and lash it up to the National Grid," Mickey suggested.

Rita shook her head slightly moving the Doctors shoulder in the process. "Wrong sort of energy. It's got to come from our universe, well yours."

"But we don't have anything." Mickey frowned.

"There's me." The Doctor turned his head slightly watching Rita stare at the light. Her eyes shining in the green glow and her skin tinted slightly green. He turned back to the light leaning down to it a little and gently blowing on it the light glowing brighter a little.

"I just gave away ten years of my life." He gleamed at it speaking softly as if it was a small child sleeping. "Worth every second."

"Honestly it's amazing that it's clinging on to life." Rita thought aloud. The light then diminished a little and Mickey slightly frowned.

"It's going out. Is that okay?" He asked looking at the Doctor concerned.

"It's on a recharging cycle. It'll loop round, power back up and be ready to take us home in, oo, twenty-four hours?" He looked at Rita for confirmation.

"About that yeah" she nodded her chin still on his shoulder.

"So that gives us twenty-four hours on a parallel world?" Mickey asked his eyes brightening in excitement a little.

"Shore leave." The Doctor said a little bluntly. "As long as we keep our heads down. Easy. No problem. Let's go and tell her." He said meaning Rose. Rita moved her head off his shoulder and stood normally again with her feet firmly on the floor and not on her tiptoes like she was when her head was on his shoulder.

"There you are." The Doctor said brightly. "You all right?" He asked getting no answer. "No applause. I fixed it. Twenty-four hours, then we're flying back to reality." Rita rolled her eyes at how much he wasn't paying attention at the clearly upset blonde sitting before him. "What is it?" He asked the joy in his voice disappearing in an instant.

"My phone connected." She held her phone up a little. "There's this Cybus Network. It finds your phone. It gave me Internet access."

"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world." He knelt down a little.

"I don't exist." She mumbled. Rita bit her lip a little. She never told Rose that she was just a made up character from a TV show on her world. That or she just forgot what the brunette said.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"There's no Rose Tyler. I was never born." He told him, her face looking heart broken. "There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie. He still married mum but they never had kids."

"Give me that phone." He went to grab the phone like Rose was a small child she pulled it away before he could take it.

"They're rich. They've got a house and cars, and everything they want." She explained getting up from the bench she was sitting on. "But they haven't got me." She paused standing away from them the Doctor sitting on the bench and Rita beside him, his face full of anger now. "I've got to see him." She told the Doctor softly.

"You can't." He gritted his teeth.

"I just want to see him." Rose looked more hurt than ever now, a world where her dad was alive and her best mate didn't want to let her see him. "You just said twenty-four hours!" Rose stood up in protest.

"You can't become their daughter, that's not the way it works. Mickey, tell her." He looked over to Mickey for help.

"Twenty-four hours, yeah?"

"Mickey no, you can't," Rita warned.

"Where're you going?" The Doctor shouted seeing him begin to walk away.

"Well, I can do what I want." He blunting told the Doctor.

"I've got the address and everything."

"Rose you know you can't," Rita told her softly unlike the Doctor who was now full of anger shouting at the pair slowly walking away on either side of him.

"Stay where you are!" He ordered them. "Both of you!" The Doctor snapped his head in the direction of Rose and then Mickey. "Rose, come back here! Mickey, come back here right now!" He shouted to them. Rita sighed deeply knowing that there was nothing she could do.

"I just want to see him." She told him in protest. "I'm sure Rita wants to see if her family are alive." Rita's eyes shot open wide.

"No," the brunette said bluntly. "I don't know my parents and I never will even if I did I wouldn't because I know I simply can't."

"But you can at least try Rita, you must have a name of someone?"

"Rose you can't go and find them" she ignored her question tightening her hands into fists in slight anger hoping that it would stop her from running up and slapping Rose around the face, as much as she loved the blonde it was not in her place to make that sort of comment about her family, even if hurting her was extreme not knowing them hurt. "They won't know who you are and it will hurt you, I know it will" Rita snapped gritting her teeth.

"I've got things to see and all," Mickey spoke up beginning to turn away.

"Like what?" The Doctor frowned in anger.

"Well, you don't know anything about me, do you?" Mickey spat at him. "It's always about Rita and Rose. I'm just a spare part.

"I'm sorry. I've got to go." Rose turned walking off and ending the conversation. The Doctor frantically looked between Rose and then Mickey not looking at the brunette who was very much in distress next to him, her hands in fists with her nails digging into her skin she could swear that she felt a trickle of blood not that she cared very much about it.

"Go on, then." Mickey noticed the Doctor was now looking over at Rose. "There's no choice, is there?" He asked hurt in his voice. "You can only chase after one of us. It's never going to be me, is it?"

"Back here, twenty-four hours!" The Doctor shouted pointing at Mickey then running off completely forgetting about the brunette as he ran after Rose.

She looked over seeing Mickey walking off, after sighing and wiping her eyes that had been holding off tears she ran in the direction of the Doctor and Rose trying to catch up with them both.

She managed to catch up almost tripping over her own feet in the process of running then mumbled after stopping beside the Doctor on the other side Rose stood. "Thanks for waiting for me" She muttered a little colder than she meant. He turned to the brunette and frowned not understanding what she meant as if she had been next to him the whole time, his face then fell seeing the girls upset emotion plastered on her face.

"Are you okay?" He asked her obviously knowing the answer but wanting to make sure.

"I'll be fine" she looked down sighing then looked over to the other side of the Doctor glaring at Rose a little. The Doctor leant close to the brunette and whispered in her ear: "She didn't mean it"

"I know" Rita mumbled back. "It just got me thinking, though, what if they were alive." She looked up at the Doctor his face blank and unreadable yet she could tell he disproved of this topic. "I mean I wouldn't even think about seeing them or anything" she added his face turned to a sad smile. "They may look and possibly act like my parents most likely did, but they obviously wouldn't I don't even know what they are like so why would it matter?" She looked at him once again however he didn't answer and just stared at her like he was in some kind of trance but very much listening to every word she said. "They're gone and I'm here, it's not like I'm missing anything though right? I am travelling through time and space going anywhere and everywhere with a 900-year-old alien in a blue box what I thought was only a TV show" She grinned trying to erase the depressing mood and thoughts in her mind. He chuckled a little and reached for her hand as if it was now a natural thing they did she took the gesture smiling away a little sadly but also happily for knowing that this was something special being able to go everywhere and anywhere, something may people like her had only dreamt of and she was able to live it.

The blonde looked down and in the corner of her eye she noticed both of their hand together and sighed quietly, this gesture was nothing new to her eyes from seeing it countless times before but the blonde didn't register it like she did now since almost all of the time it had happened before they were running for their lives or was busy occupied by other things, She stayed as silent as possible knowing that she defiantly hurt and most likely broke one of her best friends trust and didn't want to ruin it anymore by arguing with the girl. She couldn't help but feel jealous about it though. She did know him first and could clearly see that the brunette and the Time Lord were almost as close as he and the blonde were.


	16. Rise of the Cybermen - Two

The trio continued to walk Rita staying silent as the Doctor and Rose spoke. It wasn't that Rita hated the blonde, she definitely did not hate her. Rose was just trying to help a friend but didn't fully understand what effect her words really had on the brunette, she never really had anyone to talk to due to her horrible childhood and upbringing with hardly any friends that properly understood her.

She mostly stayed to herself and didn't have many friends like she had told the Doctor and Rose when they asked her about her life before meeting them many times due to having some interest in the girl.

Rita couldn't help but fall silent just listening to Rose and the Doctor talk she knew he was still a little angry at the blonde but couldn't really understand why since on 'the episode' he looked 'okay' at around this time.

She just assumed it was due to the whole 'things don't play out like you see it' and shrugged it off not thinking much else of it. Rita found the Doctor and Rose's conversation interesting and calming to listen to considering what she knew was going to happen. It was definitely up there in one of the scariest 'episodes' she had watched in series two.

"Mickey's mum just couldn't cope." Rita had guessed that the Doctor asked about Mickey's life and wat could possibly be in 'gingerbread world' her own thoughts caused her to not listen in on how the conversation started.

"His dad hung around for a while, but then he just sort of wandered off. He was brought up by his gran. She was such a great woman. God, she used to slap him!" Rose laughed then her face grew woth sadness. "And then she died. She tripped and fell down the stairs. It's about five years ago now. I was still in school."

"I never knew." The Doctor sighed.

"Well, you never asked." Rose countered.

"You never said." The Doctor said back. Rita gave him a little nudge to show that she would rather not having another argument. She really did not like arguments or fighting.

Rose noticed the brunette paying attention and started to mumble still feeling horrible for what she had said to Rita earlier in the day. "That's Mickey. I suppose I, we just take him for granted. Do you think she's still alive, his gran?" She asked.

"Could be." The Doctor shrugged. "Like I said, parallel world, gingerbread house. We need to get out of here as fast as we can."

"Oh she's alive" Rita smiled warmly at Rose signalling to her that she held no grudges or was at all angry at her, slightly disappointed, sure, angry and mad that she would hate one of her best friends? Definitely not.

The three stopped in their tracks hearing a loud beeping sound from around them. The Doctor frowned and cluched onto Rita a little more she shook her head as if to tell him that they would be fine breathing deeply he let go a little yet still held the brunette's hand in his. They then noticed that all the people stopped moving, they all had the earpieces in.

"What're they all doing?" Rose asked slowly walking towards one of them and stopping before getting too close not sure if she should trust it.

"They've stopped." The Doctor pointed out.

"Thanks, Sherlock" Rita smirked.

"Cheeky" he looked at her grinning then looked around at all the people again. "It's the earpieces." He explained. "Like Bluetooth attachments, but everyone's connected together."

Rose pulled out her phone feeling it vibrate in her pocket. "It's on my phone." It's automatic, look. It's downloading." She showed him. "Is this what they're all getting? News, international news, sports, weather."

"They get it direct. Downloaded right into their heads." Rita shivered at the thought not liking the idea of that her nose scrunching up showing creases the Doctor chuckled at her expression while nodding his head in agreement understanding what the brunette found a little creepy.

"TV schedules, lottery numbers." Rose read the categories of as they flashed on her phone while they downloaded.

"Everyone shares the same information." He told them looking between Rita and Rose who was looking down at her phone watching the categories continue to pop up one after the other. "A daily download published by Cybus Industries." The people then all laughed signalling the joke and then continuing on with their days as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.

"You lot, you're obsessed. You'd do anything for the latest upgrade." The Doctor spoke in a disgusted tone.

"Oi, not my lot. Different world, remember." She told him.

"It's not so far off your world. This place is only parallel." The Doctor pointed out.

"Reminds me how everyone goes crazy for the latest phone models back home." Rita winked at the Doctor who laughed at her.

"I forget that you live in the future of a parallel universe" he shook his head then looked down at the phone. "Oh, look at that. Cybus Industries, owners of just about every company in Britain, including Vitex. Mister Pete Tyler's very well connected." He looked at Rose his eyebrows rising he then rolled his eyes noticing her pleading expression. "Oh, okay. I give up. Let's go and see him." They then walked off Rose telling them the address.

"I'm not wearing a skirt" Rita mumbled thinking aloud though gritted teeth. "No way"

"Why would anyone make you wear a skirt?" Rose asked Rita raising a brow

"I know his plan," she told the blonde smiling inside glad that they were 'okay'

"And what plan is this?" He raised a brow.

"Secrets I can't tell you" she winked grinning. "No skirts" she pointed at him with her free hand. "Or someone is going to have to figure out how to take me back to my world" the Doctor and Rose blinked not understanding if the brunette was actually joking.

"You think I'm being serious?" She laughed. "You two are stuck with me" she grinned madly. "I'm going nowhere."

"Wouldn't change it at all" the Doctor grinned back.

"Me either" Rose grinned as well copying Rita's expression.

"I warned you" Rita huffed carrying a metal tray with food she never even heard of before. "I told you no skirts" she whispered burning her deadly gaze over to him.

"We could have been anyone." Rose groaned.

"Got us in, didn't it?" The Doctor grinned a little. "Plus you said you wouldn't leave us" he winked at Rita.

"You're in charge of the psychic paper." Rose glared at him carrying around her tray. "We could've been guests. Celebrities. Sir Doctor, Dame Rose and Dame Rita. We end up serving. Did enough of this back home."

"If you want to know what's going on, work in the kitchens." He old Rose. "According to Lucy, that man over there-"

"Who's Lucy?" Rose interrupted him.

"She's carrying the salmon pinwheels." He looked over to a woman who waved over at him. Rita snorted out a laugh which soon disappeared when a guest of the party looked over at her disapprovingly.

"Bet she fancies you" Rita chuckled the Doctor looked over at her confusion spread over his face.

"Oh, that's Lucy, is it?" Rose asked. The brunette standing beside her felt a little sorry for her.

"Yeah." He shrugged off Rita's comment obviously not seeing the looks she was giving him. "Lucy says, that is the President of Great Britain." He looked over to a man with a drink in his hand talking to some of the other guests.

"What, there's a President, not a Prime Minister?" Rose asked.

"Seems so." The Doctor shrugged.

"Or maybe Lucy's just a bit thick." Rita laughed a little at her comment.

"Parallel world don't forget, having a president and not a prime minister is possible" Rita reminded her then noticed Pete Tyler standing on the large fancy stairs.

"Excuse me!" He spoke loudly gaining everyone who was not already looking to stop their conversations and pay attention to what he was about to say. "Thank you very much. Thank you if I could just have your attention, please?" He continued until everyone had stopped, the room hall fell silent with everybodys eyes watching the man.

"Pete! Go on, Pete!" A man in the huddle of people at the bottom of the stairs cheered on.

"Thank you very much!" He smiled obviously loving the attention he had gained.

"It's about time you did some work." Another man said then added "I thought you liked them young." Rita crinkled her nose not sure what the man had meant by the comment but honestly didn't want to know.

"Um, I'd just like to say thank you to you all, for coming on this, this very special occasion. My wife's thirty ninth." He said as if he was lying which Rita and Rose knew very well he was.

"Don't believe that one."

"Trust me on this." Pete winked Rose chuckled a little at the sight not believing that 'her dad' was standing right before her. Oh how she wished she could run up to him and cry tellling him that she missed him so much and wished he knew who she was, but she couldn't no matter what she couldn't do that.

"And so, without any further ado, here she is, the birthday girl. My lovely wife, Jackie Tyler." Rose snapped out of her thoughts hearing 'her mothers' name, she looked up the stairs to see a woman who was identical to her mother back in her world however, this Jackie looked happy and not lost and lonely without her daughter. She walked down the stairs waving at all the people at the bottom and in the hall who clapped their hands together.

"Now, I'm not giving a speech." She told them as the applauses died down. "That's what my parties are famous for. No work, no politics, just a few good mates and plenty of black market whisky. Pardon me, Mister President." The majority of the crowd laughed. "So, yeah, get on with it. Enjoy, enjoy."

"You can't stay." The Doctor reminded Rose whispering into her ear. "Even if there was some way of telling them."

"Course I can't." She told herself more than him. "I've still got Mum at home. My real mum. I couldn't just leave her, could I?" She then sighed. "It's just, they've got each other. Mum's got no one."

"She's got you." The Doctor spoke truthfully. "Those two haven't. All these different worlds, not one of them gets it right." He looked over to Rita and winked she rolled her eyes at his comment scoffing a little.

"He is right, though" Rita told the blonde. She was about to continue but was then interrupted by Jackie Tyler calling what Rose thought was her name. She snapped her head in 'her mothers' direction only to seeYorkshire terrier running up to Jackie. The Doctor and Rita looked at each other then Rose's unamused face and burst out laughing only to stop forcing a serious expression when Rose looked like she would strangle both of them there and then.

"Sorry." They both then muttered. The Doctor walked back into the kitchen placing his tray down. Rita followed behind him knowing that Rose needed to have a word with Jackie, she knew it would help the girl.

They walked though the house. Rita then spotted a door slightly opened and noticed a blue glow coming out from the room she grinned and tapped the Doctors shoulder, he turned around and grinned at her then cautiously walked in the room Rita following behind him. He took out his black glasses placing them on his face on one swift motion. Rita rolled her eyes knowing that he most likely didn't even need them. "What are we looking for then?" Rita asked.

"Foreknowledge?" He raised a brow.

"Don't know this" she replied watching him on the computer.

"Anything to do with what Cybus Industries"

"What like that?" Rita pointed to the screen which then showed up what looked like the logo of the company.

"Rita Stone you're brilliant"

"If you say so" she looked at him smugly.

"Cheeky" he retorted. She rolled her eyes and continued to watch him on the computer.

Rita walked over to the door and opened it slightly looking out of the room. "Doctor we should go" she suggested.

"We haven't found anything yet" he told her.

"Doctor we need to go" the Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the computer and the image of a head appeared. "It's the Cybermen!" she shouted to get his attention. he turned to her his face full of horror snapping his head back to the screen he saw the metal frame and his eyes grew wide. Leaving the computer he grabbed the brunette and pulled her away back to the main hallway of the house he spotted the blonde who looked just as worried as they did.

(The Doctor and Rose meet up and go to the window.)  
The Doctor gritted his teeth rushing over the Rose yet trying to stay as calm as possible. "It's happening again." He told her though his gritted teeth looking out the window.

"What do you mean?" She asked fear showing in her voice.

"I've seem them before." He said not fully answering her question.

"What are they?" She asked looking over to the brunette for help or some sort of explanation.

"Cybermen." The Doctor replied. Rita grabbed Rose and the Doctor pulling them both down towards the floor seconds before glass shattered simultaneously throughout the ground floor of the house. People were shreaking and screaming at the sight and sound.

Cybermen marched though the front door and started to climb through what once was the posh french windows of the mansion. The Doctor pulled Rita and Rose back away from them and to near the large stairs before they were crushes by a Cyberman climbing through the window that Rita had pulled them both away from moments before. He pushed both of them behind him gently yet firmly and made sure they were both standing behind him in arms reach if need be if they ever so desperately needed to run.

"Mister Lumic." The president spoke with absolutely no fear in his voice, he didn't know Lumics intentions and truely horror of a 'plan' for every single person on the Earth. "I forbade this." He said obviously talking to Lumic himself now. Rita couldn't hear the conversation clearly but heard the world 'children' she wrinkled up her nose at the tone and voice she heard in that word. They were not his children, they were people and he basically killed them.

"What are they, robots?" Rose guessed leaning forward a little to talk to the Doctor.

"Worse than that." He told her not looking away from the metal people standing what he guessed as almost proudly infront of him.

"Who were these people?" The president asked confirming Rose's previous question.

"They're people?" She said more in shock than a question.

"They were, until they had all their humanity taken away. That's a living brain jammed inside a cybernetic body, with a heart of steel. All emotions removed."

"Why no emotions?" She questioned.

"Because it hurts." He said as if it hurt to say those three words.

"The one thing that made them people" Rita mumbled looking sadly at the Cybermen.

"I demand to know, Lumic. These people, who were they?" The president sounded like this had happened before. Had it happened before? Probably.

"We have been upgraded." It spoke in the annoying robot like voice. Rita had forgotten how annoying it sounded to listen to one of them.

"Into what?" The Doctor asked. The Cyberman looked over in his direction and replied. "The next level of mankind. We are Human point two. Every citizen will receive a free upgrade. You will become like us." It told them.

The president looked at the Cybermen as if it had suddenly clicked. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what's been done to you, but listen to me. This experiment ends tonight."

"Upgrading is compulsory." It replied Rita could see that the Doctor was thinking. A plan? Prehaps.

"And if I refuse?" He asked.

"Don't." The Doctor warned him.

"What if I refuse?" The president askes again ignoring the Doctors warning. He wasn't going to listen all the Doctor was to him was just a waiter at the party nothing else. So why would he listen?

"I'm telling you, don't." He said firmly trying to get the president to somewhat listen to him.

"What happens if I refuse?" The president pressed on.

"Then you are not compatible."

"Don't question him." Rita said she couldn't just stand there and watch someone else die because she didn't do anything, she couldn't so she told him not to whether he wouls listen or not was his own decision to make. But at least she tried.

"What happens then?" Rita sadly looked at the president who was confused.

"You will be deleted." The most deadly four words known when facing the Cybermen. It placed it's hand on to the presidents shoulder a little closer to his neck and electricity pulsed though him. He cried out in pain before slumping to the floor. The Doctor grabbed Rita and Rose behind him then ran.

"Window!" Rita shouted spotting the broken window with a 'safe' path towards it. Rose jumped though first carful not to cut herself on the glass still attached to it. Rita then jumped though as well then finally the Doctor. He grabbed the girls again and continued to run.

"There's nothing we can do." He told Rose more than Rita knowing that she already knew that.

"My mum's in there!" Rose protected running back to the house. Rita grabbed her and pulled her back. Tears in the blondes eyes.

"She is not your mother!" He shouted grabbing Rose again. "Come on!" They started to run heading for the lawn. Rita skidded to a stop jerking the Doctor back.

"There is Cybermen coming!" She shouted just before a row of Cybermen could be heard stomping in the distance towards them.  
The Doctor pulled them woth him to run around the side of the house heading to the back.

"Quick! Quick!" Rose psaw Pete and pulled him with her. He followed the three to the back of the house.

"Pete, is there a way out?" The Doctor asked frantically looking around.

"The side gates." He replied then asked at not the best of times: "Who are you? How do you know so much?"

"You wouldn't believe it in a million years." He told him as more Cybermen started to cut them off forcing them to run to the front of the house. Two shapes of humans then ran across the lawn holding guns.

"Who's that?" Rose asked.

"Get behind me!" The man Rita knew as Rickey who looked like Mickey shouted pointing a gun at the Cybermen and started to fire his gun. The bullets had no effect amd just bounced of the bodys as they continued to move forward.

"Rose-" Rita was about to tell her that it wasn't Mickey however she got cut off by the blonde.

"Oh my God, look at you." She gasped hugging Ricky who didn't look at all happy and quite disgusted actually. "I thought I'd never see you again!" She cried out, however, showing no tears.

Ricky pushed her away. "Yeah. No offence, sweetheart, but who the hell are you?" Rose's face fell at his words shock and disbelief thinking that he was probably joking.

Rita then noticed Mickey running in the distance towards the group. "Rose!" He skidded to a stop beside her. "That's not me. That's like the other one." He looked at Ricky.

"Oh, as if things weren't bad enough, there's two Mickey's." Rita slapped the Doctor slightly as if to say 'not the time' he looked over to her and whined a little rubbing his shoulder where She had hit him she rolled her eyes thinking that it wasn't a hard slap.

"It's Ricky." Ricky told the Doctor his face a fixed frown and his voice angry.

"But there's more of them." Mickey warned the group.

"We're surrounded."

"Put the guns down." The Doctor ordered. Bullets won't stop them." Jake started shooting ignoring his order. The Doctor shouted at him while pulling the gun away. "No! Stop shooting, now. We surrender! Hands up." They all followed raising there hands. The Doctor slowly returned to his place before beside the brunette and just behind Rose. "There's no need to damage us. We're good stock. We volunteer for the upgrade program. Take us to be processed." He clearly told the Cybermen what they wamted to hear however it wasn't enough.

"You are rogue elements." It stated. The Doctors eyes widened and anger filled inside.

"But we surrender."

"You are incompatible."

"But this is a surrender." He shouted at the Cybermen.

"You will be deleted." One of the Cybermen stated they started to slowly walk forward the circle closing on the group.

"But we're surrendering!" The Doctor shouted as loud as he could trying to get the Cybermen to listen and take them. "Listen to me, we surrender!"

"You are inferior. Man will be reborn as Cyberman, but you will perish under maximum deletion." They then held out their hands ready to kill the group. The Cybermen then began to chant: "Delete. Delete. Delete!"


	17. The Age of Steel

**Sorry for the** **lack of updates, I've been super busy with college and work. :(**

"Doctor any day now!" Rita screamed. The Cybermen were inching closer and closer. The Doctor suddenly pulled out the recharging TARDIS power cell and pointed it at the Cybermen. They all get bent backwards and were atomised by golden energy.

"What the hell was that?" Ricky asked.

"We'll have that instead." The Doctor muttered then shouted for the group to run. They started to run and a horn of a van blared out as it came to an abrupt stop. A woman shouted opening the door. "Everybody, in!"

"I've got to go back." Pete protested heading towards the mansion. "My wife's in there."

The Doctor told him in the most serious tone he could as he grabbed the man's arm. "Anyone inside that house is dead. If you want to help, then don't let her die for nothing. You've got to come with us right now."

"Come on! Get a move on!" The woman shouted.

"Rose, she's not your mother." The Doctor told her.

"I know." Rose nodded jumping into the van.

"Rita, Come on."

"Don't have to tell me twice" she jumped in the van after the Doctor sitting on his left side with Rose on his right.

"Finished chatting?" The woman asked sarcastically "Never seen a slower getaway in my life!" She started to drive off.

"I've seen the worst rescue ever" Rita muttered the Doctor looked at her frowning slightly. "Secrets I can't tell you Doctor" he nodded his head in understanding.

"What was that thing?" Ricky asked still a frown on his face. Parallel world Mickey always frowning.

"Little bit of technology from my home." The Doctor chucked it up in the air and caught it in his hand again.

Mickey frowned at it. "It's stopped glowing. Has it run out?" He asked a little worried.

The Doctor shook his head then informed him. "It's on a revitalising loop. It'll charge back up in about four hours."

"Right. So, we don't have a weapon anymore." Ricky groaned.

"With him, you never see weapons" Rita pointed out. "Wasn't a weapon anyways"

"We've got weapons. Might not be one of those metal things, but they're good enough for men like him." Jake growled at Pete

Rose protested. "Leave him alone. What's he done wrong?" She asked snapping a little.

Jake snapped back sarcasm showing like it was blatantly obviously "Oh, you know, just laid a trap that's wiped out the Government and left Lumic in charge."

"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" Pete asked Jake and Ricky.

"Maybe your plan went wrong. Still gives us the right to execute you, though." Rita glared at him.

"For someone who looks like Mickey you definitely don't act like him. Nobody is dying" Rita told him clearly.

"Talk about executions, you'll make me your enemy. And take some really good advice. You don't want to do that." The Doctor warned.

Ricky shrugged the threat off. "All the same, we have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since twenty point five."

"Is that true?" Rose looked at Pete.

"Tell them, Mrs M." Ricky looked at the woman driving.

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information. Lumic's private files, his South American operations, the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week." She told them.

"Broadcast from Gemini?" Pete asked sounding more like a statement than a question.

"And how do you know that?" Ricky narrowed his eyes at Pete.

"I'm Gemini. That's me."

"Yeah, well you would say that." Ricky rolled his eyes.

"Encrypted wavelength six five seven using binary nine. That's the only reason I was working for Lumic. To get information. I thought I was broadcasting to the Security Services. What do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the van." He groaned.

"No, no, no." Mickey shook his head. "But the Preachers know what they're doing. Ricky said he's London's Most Wanted." Rita hit her forehead with her palm shaking her head slowly.

"Yeah, that's not exactly" he mumbled.

"Not exactly what?"

"I'm London's Most Wanted for parking tickets."

"Great." Pete rolled his eyes again groaning at the stupid situation he was stuck in.

"Yeah, they were deliberate. I was fighting the system. Park anywhere, that's me."

"Looks like you two are similar after all" Rita muttered.

"Good policy." The Doctor agreed. "I do much the same. I'm the Doctor, by the way, if anyone's interested."

"A van and a box are a little difficult" Rita rolled her eyes. "Rita Stone" she waggled her fingers at the lot"

"And I'm Rose. Hello." She waved to them.

"Even better. That's the name of my dog. Still, at least I've got the catering staff on my side." Rita groaned remembering that she was still in her stupid outfit she was forced to wear.

"When we get back the TARDIS better have some new shoes for me that's two pairs now" she groaned. "And they were my favourite"

"You'll get your shoes I promise" the Doctor grinned.

"Good otherwise that hand will be coming off" she moved her gaze to the hand that was cut off on Christmas day before she met them both.

"One day you will be able to go threatening me without bringing my hand into it" he chuckled.

"Until then I will keep threatening your fighting hand" she smirked then sighed a little.

The van was silent with only the sound of the engine and tires over the road. Most of the drive was smooth with only a few bumps every now and then. "I knew you weren't a traitor," Rose spoke up breaking the silence. She looked over at Pete who frowned at her confused by what she meant.

"Why is that, then?" He asked. Rose shrugged

"I just did."

Pete sighed not pushing on with what she meant then thought aloud. "They took my wife."

"She might still be alive," Rose added some hope. Rita looked down at the floor she couldn't say she wanted to but she couldn't. As if the Doctor could know what she was thinking he placed a hand on her shoulder, she looked up at him smiling sadly.

"That's even worse," Pete muttered. "Because that's what Lumic does. He takes the living and he turns them into those machines." He spat not angry at anyone in the van but at Lumic and he had a right to be as angry as possible.

"Cybermen." The Doctor said. "They're called Cybermen. And I'd take those ear pods off, if I were you. You never know. Lumic could be listening." Pete nodded in agreement and took the EarPods out handing them over to the Doctor who deactivated them with the sonic screwdriver then placed them in his pocket.

"But he's overreached himself. He's still just a businessman. He's assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the city and inform the authorities. Because I promise you, this ends tonight." He told them.

"Wish it was that easy" Rita mumbled quietly so only the Doctor could hear her. He sighed a little and nodded. "When is it ever simple with you, though?" She asked smiling a little.

"Don't think it ever is" he smiled back.

"You got that one right, always trouble around you" Rita rolled her eyes at the grin on his face, Rose was shaking her head while agreeing with Rita where there was the Doctor there was always trouble.

After a few more minutes of driving the van came to a stop and they all exited following the Doctor. They soon noticed the people walking very much like zombies in the street however they definitely were not with the lack of thirst for brains and bloody clothes. "What the hell?" Jake frowned at them walking past.

"What's going on?" Rose asked her eyes fixed on the mind controlled people.

The Doctor looked at Rita who scratched her ear very obviously meaning the pods all of the people walking down the road had, he rolled his eyes at her. "It's the ear-pods. Lumic's taken control." He told them.

"Can't we just, I don't know, take them off?" Rose suggested going to take the pods out of a person's ears. The Doctors eyes widened and pulled her back.

"Don't!" He told her. "Cause a brainstorm. Human race. For such an intelligent lot, you aren't half susceptible. Give anyone a chance to take control and you submit. Sometimes I think you like it. Easy life."

"Rude" Rita shoved him with her hand a little.

"Hey, Come and see." Jake gestured them to come over to him and look around the corner. They walked over to where he was poking his head around the corner watching more people with the mind controlled ear pods and Cybermen following them.

"Where are they all going?" Rose asked.

"I don't know. Lumic must have a base of operations. Rita?"

"No idea" She shrugged. "Can't remember every detail. Bet Pete knows" She turned her head to the man who nodded confirming her guess.

"Battersea. That's where he was building his prototypes."

"Why's he doing it?" Rose questioned something the Doctor was most likely also thinking.

"He's dying. This all started out as a way of prolonging life, of keeping the brain alive at any cost."

Rose thought hard for a moment looking up at the sky a little then remembered. "The thing is, I've seen Cybermen before, haven't I?" She looked at the Doctor. "The head. Those handle shapes in Van Statten's museum."

"Ah," The Doctor understood what she was talking about. "There are Cybermen in our universe. They started on an ordinary world just like this, then swarmed across the galaxy. This lot are a parallel version, and they're starting from scratch right here on Earth."

"Lucky me I don't have them, well I do but not exactly real" Rita mumbled in thought.

"Should have got stuck in your universe Rita" Rose joked.

"Not really" she scrunched up her nose at the thought of people swarming the Doctor and Rose thinking they were David Tennant and Billie Piper. "Let's just say more people know who you are than you might think"

"Ah," The Doctor said remembering that in her universe his life was a TV show. "Good job we're here then" Rita and Rose both nodded in agreement.

"What the hell are you three on about?" Pete looked at the three of them as if they were crazy, which they most likely were to be fair.

"Never mind that." Ricky snapped. "Come on, we need to get out of the city. Okay, split up. Mrs Moore, you look after that bloke." He pointed to the Doctor. "Jake, distract them. Go right, I'll go left. We'll meet back at Bridge Street. Move." He ordered.

"I'm going with him," Mickey told Rose quickly kissing her then running off in the same direction as Ricky desperately trying to catch up with him.

"Come on, let's go." Mrs Moore ordered the group to follow. They ran down the street Cybermen following behind. They forced a sudden stop seeing the Cybermen in front, looking around frantically the Doctor. Noticed a street coming off the one they were on

"There!" The Doctor shouted running down the side of the street The rest followed on his heels with the loud sound of the Cybermen close behind. Rita felt her legs failing her, she was trying to run faster than she could actually go. Panting just like the others she pressed on gritting her teeth at the pain in her legs now finding it unbearable but knowing that she had to continue to survive.

The group managed to put a good distance between them and the Cybermen, turning a corner they could see another patrol of Cybermen on the other side, the street was dark and empty with only the street lights illuminating it. The Doctor pulled Rita and Rose behind a group of bins Mrs Moore and Pete followed sitting breathing deeply trying to control how loud they were actually breathing.

"You okay?" The Doctor asked Rita and Rose.

"Yeah" Rose replied. "I'm fine"

"I'm okay" Rita lied not wanting to worry anyone, she pushed herself too far and she knew the others could run that fast perfectly fine.

"You're lying" the Doctor pointed out. "Slight Crease in your brows"

"How?" She frowned.

"Rose noticed after Queen Victoria and told me back on the TARDIS," he told her, Rose looked at Rita sheepishly and shrugged.

The Doctor looked at her for an answer. Knowing he wouldn't drop the subject she sighed "My legs hurt a little, pushed myself too far" she shrugged. "I'll be fine" the Doctor nodded then heard the sound of the Cybermen footsteps coming towards them. The stomping came to a stop and the Doctor silently pulled out the sonic screwdriver changing the setting and then pointed it in the air sending a signal. The Cybermen turned and then walked off taking the echoing sound of the metal against the concrete with them.

"Go" the Doctor whispered silently getting up and moving away from the bins running down the street pressed up against the wall with Rita on his heels and Rose behind her followed by Pete then Mrs Moore.

They waited for Mickey, Ricky and Jake under a bridge well away and out of sight of any Cybermen. They heard the thumping of feet and spun around, it wasn't any Cybermen it was Jake panting and breathing rapidly. "I ran past the river. You should have seen it. The whole city's on the march. Hundreds of Cybermen all down the Thames." He placed his hands on his knees regaining his breath just as Mickey or Ricky ran up.

"Here he is!" Jake beamed then frowned a little. "Which one are you?" He asked a little worry and hope in his voice.

Mickey looked down at the ground sadly. "I'm sorry. The Cybermen. He couldn't." He tried to explain unable to find the words to fully describe what happened.

"Are you Ricky?" Jake asked then repeated needing to know after gaining no reply the first time. "Are you Ricky?"

Rose spoke up her own fear shaking her voice a little. "Mickey, that's you, isn't it?" She asked in hope.

He nodded then breathed out "Yeah." Rose ran up to him and pulled him into a hug sighing with relief.

Mickey looked over at Jake guilt and sadness showing. "He tried. He was running. There was too many of them-"

Jake cut in not wanting to hear it. "Shut it."

"There was nothing I could do."

Jake growled angrily at Mickey who was trying to explain to him. "I said just shut it. Don't even talk about him. You're nothing, you are. Nothing." He spat.

The Doctor could see that it was clearly getting out of hand and calmly spoke trying to break a rising argument. "We can mourn him when London is safe. But now, we move on." They nodded in response and walked heading to Battersea Power Station.

They arrived on a river bank the power station glowing the sky around it separated the group and the station with the large river. "The whole of London's been sealed off, and the entire population's been taken inside that place. To be converted." The Doctor spat the final three words he didn't take his eyes of the station, they had to get in the station but how?

"We've got to get in there and shut it down," Rose told him.

Mickey frowned obviously not feeling very hopeful. "How do we do that?"

The Doctor grinned a little. "Oh, I'll think of something."

"You're just making this up as you go along," Mickey grumbled not liking the idea of there not being a plan.

"Yep." He popped the 'p' "But I do it brilliantly."

"Or I could just tell you your plan before you think of it" Rita raised a brow joking.

"Well, you could do that but it would ruin the fun" Rita crossed her arms shaking her head then noticed Mrs Moore walking up laptop in hand. She showed them the screen pointing to it after she walked over to them.

"That's a schematic of the old factory. Look. Cooling tunnels underneath the plant. Big enough to walk through." She pointed to an area explaining her idea.

"We go under there and up into the control centre?" The Doctor asked. Rita nodded and Mrs Moore hummed.

"There's another way in. Through the front door. If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in." Pete was persistent on gaining his wife back.

"We can't just go strolling up," Jake told him thinking he was being an idiot.

Mrs Moore then reached into her pocket bringing out some ear pods. "Or we could, with these. Fake ear pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd." She told him.

"Then that's my job."

The Doctor looked at him seriously. "You'd have to show no emotion. None at all. Any sign of emotion would give you away."

"How many of those you got?" Rose asked Mrs Moore.

"Just two sets."

Rose thought for a moment then nodded. "Okay. If that's the best way of finding Jackie, then I'm coming with you." She told Pete not up for arguing.

"Why does she matter to you?" He asked.

"We haven't got time." She replied then turned to the Doctor. "Doctor, I'm going with him, and that's that." She simply told him not allowing him or anyone to tell her she wasn't.

"No stopping you, is there?" He smiled a little.

"No." she replied smiling back.

"Tell you what. We can take the ear pods at the same time. Give people their minds back so they don't walk into that place like sheep." Rose and Pete nodded at the idea. The Doctor then looked over at Jake. "Jakey-boy? Lumic's transmitting the control signal. It must be from over there." He then pointed the sonic screwdriver in the direction of the power station. A small red light then began to blink on a Zeppelin parked above the station. "There it is." He pointed to the light. Jake followed where he was pointing. "On the zeppelin, you see? Great big transmitter. Good thing Lumic likes showing off. Reckon you could take it out?" He asked knowing his answer already.

"Consider it done."

"Mrs Moore, would you care to accompany me and Rita into the cooling tunnels?" He looked at Rita who nodded agreeing to go.

"How could I refuse an offer of cooling tunnels?" She asked rhetorically grinning.

The Doctor turned to the group and explained the plan fully to them. "We attack on three sides. Above, between, below. We get to the control centre, we stop the conversion machines."

Mickey frowned getting forgotten once again. "What about me?" He asked knowing the Doctor had forgotten he was actually here.

The Doctor rubbed the back of his head and quickly tried to think of something for him. "Mickey. You can er..." he stuttered.

"What, stay out of trouble? Be the tin dog?" He said angrily knowing where the Doctor was going with this. "No, those days are over. I'm going with Jake." Jake then looked at him his face turning to anger.

He spat at Mickey angrily. "I don't need you, idiot." He turned away.

Mickey shouted at him in protest. "I'm not an idiot! You got that? I'm offering to help." He simply told him.

"Whatever," Jake mumbled quietly walking off.

"Mickey. Good luck." The Doctor told him.

"Yeah, you keep safe." He looked between the Doctor and Rita who nodded. "Rose, I'll see you later." He promised.

"Yeah, you'd better."

"If we survive this, I'll see you back at the TARDIS." The Doctor told him.

"When" Rita corrected him smiling.

"That's a promise." Mickey started to walk off.

"Good luck." The Doctor told Rose giving her a hug then letting go moving away so Rita could talk to her.

"No emotion Rose" Rita reminded her. "See you soon" she gave the blonde a hug.

"Good luck Rita, you keep her safe" Rose pointed at the Doctor grinning.

"Plan to" he grinned back, Rose then turned away and followed Pete, the Doctor and Rita followed Mrs Moore to the entrance of the tunnels.

"Down the tunnels, we go" Rita sighed the Doctor opened the hatch with his sonic screwdriver. Mrs Moore then climbed down first.

"It's freezing." She told them placing her feet on the floor and moving out the way so Rita could get down and move for the Doctor.

"Don't call it cooling tunnels for nothing" Rita told the woman.

"Any sign of a light switch?" The Doctor asked Mrs Moore and Rita.

"Can't see a thing. But I've got these." She pulled out three head torches from a bag, a smile grew on the Doctors face. "A device for every occasion."

"Ooo!" He gasped Rita rolled her eyes.

"You are such a child" The Doctor shook his head not denying her comment and put the head torch on, Rita did the same after being handed one by Mrs Moore.

"Haven't got a hot dog in there, have you? I'm starving." The Doctor put his hand to his stomach. "Of all the things to wish for." Mrs Moore chuckled a little. "That's mechanically recovered meat."

"I know. It's the Cyberman of food, but it's tasty." Rita shook her head thinking that it wasn't the best of times to eat.

"We can have a little picnic after saving the world if you want Doctor" Rita suggested.

"Fine by me, as long as it's hotdogs" He grinned.

"hotdogs it is then" She grinned as well laughing a little.

Mrs Moore interrupted the conversation by pulling out another torch from the bag. "A proper torch as well." She handed it to the Doctor who gladly took it from her.

"Let's see where we are." He shone the light in the opposite direct of the entrance, a long line of Cybermen was on both sides of the tunnel leaving just enough space to walk, though.

"Already converted, just put on ice. Come on." He gestured for the two to follow then stopped in front of the first Cyberman and knocked on its face with his index finger, the Cyberman gave no reaction and he nodded humming a little. 

"Let's go slowly." He said they both nodded in reply. Rita following right behind the Doctor and Mrs Moore behind her. "Keep an eye out for trip systems." He told them shining his light around the tunnel and at the Cybermen.

They walked in silence for a while closely watching the Cybermen making sure they didn't start to move. The Doctor then started up a conversation with Mrs Moore. "How did you get into this, then, rattling along with the Preachers?" He asked her.

"Oh, I used to be ordinary. Worked at Cybus Industries, nine to five, till one day, I find something I'm not supposed to. A file on the mainframe. All I did was read it. Then suddenly I've got men with guns knocking in the middle of the night. Life on the run. Then I found the Preachers. They needed a techie, so I, I just sat down and taught myself everything."

"Smart thinking that. Teaching yourself everything." Rita pointed out the Doctor nodded in agreement.

"What about Mr Moore?" He asked.

"Well, he's not called Moore. I got that from a book, Mrs Moore. It's safer not to use real names. But he thinks I'm dead." She sighed a little sadly. "It was the only way to keep him safe. Him and the kids. What about you? Got any family, or?" He looked at the Doctor then at Rita.

"Oh, no no" He shook his head Rita suddenly understood what the woman meant and her cheeks began to burn, the Doctor and Mrs Moore luckily didn't notice in the little light around the trio. "Who needs family? I've got the whole world on my shoulders, Rita and Rose are good friends to have around. Go on, then. What's your real name?" He asked her, the woman hesitated for a moment then told them. "Angela Price. Don't tell a soul." She looked at them both seriously.

"Not a word." The Doctor promised.

"Same for me" Rita nodded. Rita could see movement in the corner of her eye. The Cybermen were awakening.

"Doctor, did that one just move?" Mrs Moore asked.

"It's just the torchlight. Keep going, come on." He told her.

"Doctor" Rita slowly shook her head speaking quietly. "That wasn't the light." His eyes widened at her words without thinking he grabbed the brunette and pushed her in front of him.


	18. The Age of Steel - Two

"They're waking up. Run!" He shouted just before they started to move, Rita had luckily gave them a few extra moments to put some distance behind them. They ran through the tunnel Cybermen waking up and beginning to stomp towards them. They then came to a stop at a ladder.

"Rita go!" He shouted ordering the brunette to go first. She climbed the ladder as fast as she could and swung open the trap door climbing out. The Doctor right behind the brunette climbed up second

"Get up! Quick! Quick!" Mrs Moore shouted behind the Doctor.

"Come on! Come on!" The Doctor shouted helping Mrs Moore out of the tunnels then sealed it shut with his sonic screwdriver.

"Oh, good team, Mrs Moore. Rita are you okay?" He asked the brunette a hand on her chest.

"I'm good" she breathed waving her hand.

"Right then" The Doctor nodded. "Let's continue" Rita and Mrs Moore both agreed following the Doctor.

The three turned a corner and came face to face with a Cyberman The Doctor stood a little in front or Rita and Mrs Moore.

"You are not upgraded." It stated in the annoying robotic voice Rita dispised. Why couldn't it sound like K9? That would be hilarious.

"Yeah? Well, upgrade this." Mrs Moore threw a rod with copper wire over Rita's shoulder at the Cyberman which started to spark, jerk uncontrollably and collapsed.

The Doctor couldn't help but grin at the sight and asked in a quite high pitched voice making Rita giggle a little:" What the hell was that thing?"

"Electromagnetic bomb." Mrs Moore told them moving forward a little. "Takes out computers, I figured it might stop the cyber-suit."

"You figured right. Now, let's have a look." The Doctor walked over to the Cyberman. "Know your enemy. A logo on the front. Lumic's turned them into a brand." The Doctor removed what was the logo and supposedly the heart. "Heart of steel, but look." He shows them. Rita wrinkles her nose at the sight knowing exactly what it was.

"Is that flesh?" Mrs Moore asked.

"Hmmm. Central nervous system. Artificially grown then threaded throughout the suit so it responds like a living thing. Well, it is a living thing. Oh, but look. Emotional inhibitor. Stops them feeling anything." He took out some of the flesh and looked at it on his fingers then placed it back inside.

"It used to be like us," Rita said sadly. "A life, friends, family, everything all taken because someone didn't want to die"

"But why?" Mrs Moore asked the Doctor.

"It's still got a human brain. Imagine its reaction if it could see itself, realise itself inside this thing. They'd go insane."

"So they cut out the one thing that makes them human." Mrs Moore looked at the Cyberman with pity.

"Because they have to."

"They didn't have to do this, it was selfish, Lumic was selfish by not wanting to die. Everything lives and everything dies, Sarah Jane said that and she was right." Rita spoke angrily. The Doctor reached for her hand knowing that the brunette was upset at what had happened, he was too but just didn't show it as much. The Doctor rubbed circles over her knuckles trying to calm her down.

"Why am I cold?" The Cyberman spoke up its voice sounding as it was in pain and it was.

"Oh, my God." Mrs Moore gasped out. "It's alive. It can feel."

"We broke the inhibitor. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor looked at the Cyberman sadly.

"Why so cold?" It repeated.

"Can you remember your name?" The Doctor asked trying to switch the conversation.

"Sally. Sally Phelan."

"That's a nice name Sally," Rita said softly trying to give the woman a peaceful death.

"You're a woman." Mrs Moore said in shock.

"Where's Gareth?" Sally asked.

"Who's Gareth?" Mrs Moore frowned a little.

"He can't see me. It's unlucky the night before," said Sally

It then suddenly clicked in Mrs Moores head. "You're getting married."

"I'm cold. I'm so cold." Sally cried out.

"It's all right. You sleep now, Sally. Just go to sleep." He placed the sonic screwdriver inside where the logo of Lumic's company once was and switched the Cyberman off letting Sally rest in as much peace as possible. Rita clung to his back feeling sorry for the woman's death.

"Sally Phelan didn't die for nothing because that's the key. The emotional inhibitor. If we could find the code behind it, the cancellation code, then feed it throughout the system into every Cyberman's head, they'd realise what they are." He told Mrs Moore sensing that Rita needed to calm down a little. He placed a hand behind his back and found hers gently squeezing a little letting her know it would be okay. Rita was never really the emotional type but the woman was practically murdered in cold blood.

"And what happens then?" Mrs Moore asked.

"I think it would kill them. Could we do that?"

"We've got to. Before they kill everyone else. There's no choice, Doctor. It's got to be done." Rita's eyes widened in realisation of what was about to happen. She had been too emotional to think and remember, too selfish and it was going to cost a life. "Doctor!" She shouted, but it was too late and the Cyberman grabbed Mrs Moores shoulder as she stood up killing her with all the volts pulsing through her body.

"No! No, you didn't have to kill her!" He shouted through gritted teeth while pushing Rita behind him pressing her up against his back so he knew she was there and safe.

"Sensors detect a binary vascular system. You are an unknown upgrade. You will be taken for analysis." It said not taking Rita's human vascular also known as the circulatory system into account.

The Doctor did as the Cyberman told him, to follow. He kept Rita close as the Cyberman took him and Rita to Lumic. "Anything?" He whispered to her while walking, keeping as quiet as possible.

"Not yet" She shook her head. He nodded and continued walking in silence the Cyberman's feet in time with what was now millions of other Cybermen marching, echoing the streets.

They walked into the room the Cybermen had taken them both too. Rose and Pete were next to a few computers. The Doctor began to speak sarcastically Rita rolling her eyes at him. "We've been captured, but don't worry, Rose and Pete are still out there. They can rescue us. Oh well, never mind." He walked over to them Rita following giving Rose a hug.

"You okay?" The Doctor asked her after Rita and Rose let go other each other.

She nodded a little sadly, "Yeah. But they got Jackie."

Pete looked up from where he was sitting, he looked lost. "We were too late. Lumic killed her."

"Then where is he, the famous Mister Lumic?" The Doctor looked at the Cybermen for an answer. "Don't we get the chance to meet our Lord and Master?" Rita shivered not knowing exactly why though as if a word triggered something.

 _Master_

 _Four knocks_

The three words echoed in her head. _What does that mean?_ Rita thought confused. The could swear that those words were said in an 'episode' but she couldn't remember or think about it. No matter how hard she tried her brain pushed it away. _Why?_

"He has been upgraded." A Cyberman informed the Doctor.

"So he's just like you?"

"He is superior." It answered. "The Lumic Unit has been designated Cyber Controller." A door then opened and gas looking like fog seeped out of the door most likely for dramatic effect. A metallic robot-like chair with a larger than normal Cyberman rolled out.

"This is The Age of Steel and I am its Creator." The now Cyberman Lumic spoke in a voice like the other Cybermen but different.

"Mr Lumic" The Doctor stepped closer. "You changing innocent people, humans who did nothing" He spoke deadly and seriously. "If this doesn't stop I will have to force it"

"You cannot stop this" He simply replied. The Doctor stepped back saying no other words knowing that Jake and Mickey were doing something. They then began to hear screams, Rita and the Doctor both knew that they did it.

"That's my friends at work. Good boys!" The Doctor looked up smiling. "Mister Lumic, I think that's a vote for free will." He clicked his tongue and winked.

Lumic answered not seeming fazed at the issue at all. "I have factories waiting on seven continents. If the ear pods have failed, then the Cybermen will take humanity by force. London has fallen. So shall the world."

"But the thing is Mister Lumic that humans will fight because what they see is fear, human instinct to run away from fear" He stopped talking Rita nudged him a little then whispered to him not making it obviously to Lumic. "Secret, the camera" He nodded a little.

"I will bring peace to the world. Everlasting peace" Lumic started to talk countering against the Doctor. "And unity and uniformity."

"And imagination? What about that?" The Doctor asked. "The one thing that lead you here, imagination, you're killing it dead!"

"What is your name?" Lumic asked him.

"I'm the Doctor," He said quite proudly.

"A redundant title. Doctors need not exist. Cybermen never sicken."

"Yeah, but that's it. That's exactly the point! Oh, Lumic, you're a clever man. I'd call you a genius, except I'm in the room even if I wasn't you still wouldn't be a genius because Rita is here." Rita snapped her head in his direction feeling the heat slightly rise to her cheeks she looked down slightly not wanting anyone to notice. "But everything you've invented, you did to fight your sickness. And that's brilliant. That is so human. But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, then what's there to strive for, eh? The Cybermen won't advance. You'll just stop. You'll stay like this forever. A metal Earth with metal men and metal thoughts, lacking the one thing that makes this planet so alive. People. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant people." He finally finished his speech.

"You are proud of your emotions." Lumic noticed speaking as if they were venom.

The Doctor smiled. "Oh, yes."

"Then tell me, Doctor. Have you known grief, and rage, and pain?" Lumic asked him.

"Yes. Yes, I have." The Doctor replied.

"And they hurt?" Lumic pressed on with questioning him.

"Oh, yes."

"I could set you free. Would you not want that? A life without pain?"

"You might as well kill me." The Doctor told him.

"Then I take that option." Lumic simply told him, the Doctor cut in before he could do anything.

"It's not yours to take. You're a Cyber Controller. You don't control me or anything with blood in its heart."

"Hearts" Rita whispered and the Doctor winked at her grinning.

"You have no means of stopping me. I have an army. A species of my own."

"You just don't get it, do you? An army's nothing because those ordinary people, they're the key. The most ordinary person could change the world." The Doctor then looked around the room his eyes finally landing on the camera.

"Some ordinary man or woman, some idiot. All it takes is for him to find, say, the right numbers. Say the right codes. Say, for example, the code behind the emotional inhibitor. The code right in front of him. Knows how to get past firewalls and passwords. Knows how to find something encrypted in the Lumic Family Database, under er. What was it, Pete? Binary what?" He clicked his fingers a few times turning to the man for an answer.

"Binary nine," Pete informed him.

The Doctor grinning looking back at the camera again. "An idiot could find that code. Cancellation code And he'd keep on typing. Keep on fighting. Anything to save his friends."

"Your words are irrelevant," Lumic told him.

"Yeah, talk too much, that's my problem. Lucky I got you that cheap tariff, Rose, for all our long chats. Have got to get you one Rita" he looked at the brunette standing next to him. "You could join our long chats as well"

"On your phone Rose." He looked up at the camera again nodding slightly as if he was telling Mickey and Jake to keep it up.

"You will be deleted," Lumic informed them having had enough of the Doctors rambling.

"Yes. Delete, control, hash. All those lovely buttons. Then, of course, my particular favourite," he looked over at the brunette raised a brow.

"Send" she answered.

"And let's not forget how you seduced all those ordinary people in the first place." He reminded Lumic just as Rose's phone began to beep. "By making every bit of technology compatible with everything else."

"It's for you." Rose chucked the phone at him which he caught.

"Like this." He placed Rose's phone on a docking station the text with the numbers appeared on the screen transmitting it to all of the Cybermen who were now clutching their heads crying out in pain. The code then appeared on every screen in the room.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor looked at them sadly.

"What have you done?" Lumic asked sounding pisses off.

"I gave them back their souls. They can see what you've done, Lumic, and it's killing them!" He. Shouted over the screaming then ran out Rita and Rose following behind along with Pete.

Lumic began to cry out however not doing anything apart from sitting in his chair. "Delete! Delete! Delete!"

The building began to light on fire and burn around them. "There's no way out!" The Doctor shouted.

"Secret" Rita shouted. "Roof!" The Doctor nodded taking the lead and heading up the stairs, the fires continued to burn and sparks started to fly around them, Rose screamed as a spark startled her. Rose's phone then started to ring.

"Little late for that Mickey" Rose said into the phone then hung up following the Doctor up the stairs.

They arrived on the roof and a zeppelin was hovering above them a ladder reaching to the ground for them to climb.

"You've got to be kidding," Pete said sarcastically.

"Rita, Rose, get up." They followed his orders and began to climb, Rita first followed by Rose just behind her. The Doctor then Pete started to climb and the zeppelin then took off.

"We did it! We did it!" Rose shouted happily.

"Not yet" Rita looked down. "Doctor!" She shouted looking down to see Cyber Lumic starting to climb the ladder. The Doctor dived into his jacket pulling out the sonic screwdriver. " "Pete! Take this!" He shouted giving the man his screwdriver. "Use it! Hold the button down! Press it against the rope. Just do it!"

Pete placed the screwdriver just below his feet and pressed the button. "Jackie Tyler. This is for her!" He shouted as the rope snapped, Cyber Lumic cried out falling to his certain death. The power station then completely lit up in flames lighting the sky and Lumic continued to fall then was completely engulfed in the flames.

"Now we did it" Rita deeply breathed out. Rose shouted out at the top of her lungs "woo hoo!" The Doctor and Rita laughed.

"Time to go home" he smiled.

"Time to go home" Rita nodded in agreement as the zeppelin continued to fly and the three with Pete Tyler bellow them continued to climb up.

Rita stood leaning against the TARDIS, the day after the long night with the Cybermen, she sighed looking up at the sky smiling a little.

"So, what happens inside that thing, then?" Pete asked Rose nodding over to the TARDIS, Rose looked back at it then asked: "Do you want to see?

"No, I don't think so. But you three." He nodded over to Rita and the TARDIS again meaning Rose, Rita and the Doctor. "You know, all that stuff you said about different worlds. Who are you?" He asked.

"It's like you say. Imagine there are different worlds, parallel worlds. Worlds with another Pete Tyler and Jackie Tyler's still alive, and their daughter." She told him.

"I've got to go," Pete told her not wanting to hear it anymore.

"But if you just look inside." Rose tried to convince him to stay.

Pete shook his head. "No, I can't. There are all those Lumic factories out there. All those Cybermen still in storage. Someone's got to tell the authorities what happened, carry on the fight"

The Doctor stepped outside the TARDIS, Rita moved out the way still in the uniform from last night.

"Rose? I've only got five minutes of power. We've got to go." He told her.

Rose turned from the Doctor and looked at Pete not backing down. "The Doctor could show you."

"Thank you. For everything."

Rose didn't know what to say, she hadn't said it forever and now she finally got the chance. "Dad."

Pete shook his hand again. "Don't. Just, just don't." He then turned and left.

"Here it is. I found it. Not a crease." Mickey walked towards the TARDIS handing the Doctor his suit. "Sorry Rita your jacket or shoes weren't there" she groaned out in annoyance.

"My suit!" The Doctor beamed. "Good man." He patted the man's back then noticed the look on the brunette's face. "Sorry Rita the TARDIS will have some more shoes for you, now then, Jake, we've got to run. But one more thing. Mrs Moore. Her real name was Angela Price. She's got a husband out there, and children. Find them. Tell them how she died saving the world." He looked at Jake slowly explaining to him he nodded in response.

"Yeah, course I will."

"Off we go, then." The Doctor turned around to head back towards the TARDIS with Rita and Rose but then stopped.

"Er, thing is, I'm staying." Mickey told them.

"You're doing what?" The Doctor asked and Rose choked up a little.  
"You can't."

"It sort of balances out, because this world lost its Ricky, but there's me. And there's work to be done with all those Cybermen still out there." He explained to them.

"But you can't stay." She told tears in her eyes.

"Rose, my gran's here. She's still alive. My old gran, remember her?" He asked and she nodded in reply.

"Yeah."

"She needs me."

"What about me? What if I need you?" She asked him.

"Yeah, but Rose, you don't. It's just you, him and Rita, isn't it. We had something a long time ago, but not anymore." He said looking over at the Doctor then Rita.

"Well, we'll come back. We can travel anywhere. Come and see you, yeah?"

"We can't do that" Rita explained. "Even I shouldn't be here, Rose like the Doctor said it's impossible to travel between parallel worlds" the brunette looked over at the Time Lord who nodded at her.

"We only got here by accident." He added. "We fell through a crack in time. When we leave, I've got to close it. We can't ever return."

"Doctor." Mickey walked over to him shaking his hand.

"Take Rose's phone. It's got the code. Get it out there. Stop those factories. And good luck, Mickey the idiot." He grinned.

"Watch it." Mickey pointed at him chuckling. The Doctor just grinned then handed Rose's phone to him and walked back into the TARDIS.

"And your other title, Mickey the tin dog" Rita laughed giving Mickey a hug. "We'll see you soon" she whispered. Mickey frowned and she winked then whispered "Secrets for next time"

"Goodbye Rita, look after him and Rose"

"Will do" she nodded walking into the TARDIS.

"Thanks. We've had a laugh though, haven't we? Seen it all, been there and back. Who would have thought, me and you off the old estate, flying through the stars."

"All those years just sitting there, imagining what we'd do one day. We never saw this, did we?" She asked smiling at him.

"Go on, don't miss your flight." He told her nodding to the TARDIS, she gave him a warm hug nodded to Jake then walked into the TARDIS.

"Jake, you want to watch this," Mickey told him

"What the hell?" He's eyes widened.

"That's the Doctor in the Tardis with Rose Tyler and Rita Stone."

Without a single word, Rita walked over to the blonde pulling her into a hug. "It's okay, though," she told her rubbing her back. She saw the Doctor out of the corner of her eye and sadly smiled. The brunette smiled back continuing to comfort the blonde. She nodded at him and as if he could read her mind slowly he moved around the TARDIS which then began to travel through the vortex and then materialise.

Rose stopped hugging the blonde and walked out stopped at the door and staring at her mother.

"You're alive. Oh, mum, you're alive." She gasped running to her mum and hugging her, making sure she was there and that it wasn't all a dream.

"Well, I was the last time I looked. What is it? What's happened, sweetheart? What's wrong?" She asked then looked up at the Doctor. "Where did you go?"  
"Far away. That was far away." He asked. Rita slowly walked out the TARDIS standing beside the Doctor.

"Where's Mickey?" Jackie asked then looked at Rita. "Who are you?"

"He's gone home." The Doctor said sounding in some pain.

"Rita Stone, I'm a friend" the brunette smiled softly.


	19. The Idiot's Lantern

Rita walked into her room in the TARDIS, it looked exactly like her room did in her apartment, something she was very much happy about, the light cream almost white walls were ones that she knew very well her computer that she didn't use often pushed up against the wall on her desk at the end of her bed with her now walk in wardrobe (thank you TARDIS) on the opposite side of the wall next to her door.

She dived onto her bed not even thinking of changing, she had a long night running around with the Doctor, Rose, Pete and everyone else and needed her sleep so she closed her eyes and drifted off as the Doctor set the TARDIS in the Vortex.

 _Four_

 _Four knocks_

A faint males voice whispered. Rita could swear she heard this voice before, it sounded familiar but she had never heard those two words in her life, she swore she hadn't how could she?

 _Four knocks, Stone_

She jolted awake sweat beating down her forehead. _What was that?_ She thought her eyes darting around the room, she breathed out deeply knowing that she was safe in her room in the TARDIS. Feeling somewhat refreshed Rita finally removed the clothes from yesterday and changed into what she had worn when meeting Queen Victoria, A plaid shirt with grey jeans. She groaned when realising that she didn't have her shoes. The TARDIS hummed and she opened her wardrobe after changing to see another brand new pair of maroon vans almost identical to her last pair. "Thank you" She grinned picking up the shoes. She put them on and tied the laces before leaving her room and heading towards the console room.

It was silent and Rita guessed that Rose was probably still sleeping and the Doctor was most likely in the library since Rita realised that he was almost always there when the two companions were resting, that or he went for an adventure alone. She walked over to the jump seat and sat down crossing her legs like she always did, resting her head in her left hand leaning on her elbow she started to try and think back to the 'dream' that awoke her.

After 30 minutes or so Rita sighed not able to remember the two words that she heard. _The Doctor?_ No why would she hear that? It was like her mind was blanking it out elsewhere as if her thoughts were drifting somewhere else. The Doctor walked into the console room quietly. Rita didn't notice and stared at the blue glow the TARDIS was giving off.

"Rita?" She jumped at her name turning her head in the direction of the voice only to find the Doctor staring at her looking very concerned.

"Sorry I didn't see you walk in" She breathed out.

"You look startled," He told her leaning against the console.

"You snuck up on me"

"No, I didn't you use didn't see me walk in" He protested. "Why are you up?" He asked. "You headed to your room to sleep only five hours ago, you need eight hours sleep"

"I'm not tired," She told him. "I feel completely fine"

"Your eyes say otherwise" He frowned then sat down beside her. "What's wrong?"

She sighed a little not looking at him. "I had a dream" she muttered. "But I can't remember it"

"Not at all?" He asked watching her face for any clues.

"Nothing" She shrugged. "When I try and think about it, it's like my mind diverts it, like I don't want myself to think about it, could this have anything to do with being in a parallel world?" She asked turning to him. He shook his head.

"No that shouldn't happen, anything else?"

"No" She shook her head, "That's it, not much to go on, sorry"

"Give it time and we'll figure it out, tell me anything else that happens or if you remember anything."

"Will do" She nodded. "What were you doing?" She then asked.

"Oh a bit of reading, gets boring with you lot sleeping all the time, how do you get so tired?"

"With you, it's all the running" She laughed. "But the running is good so it's worth it"

"Right so having pain in your legs is worth it?" He raised a brow chuckling.

"If it means I survive and not become a Cyberman or somethings next meal then yes it is" She laughed.

The Doctor shook his head and stood up. "Go get some more rest, Rita, seriously even if you just lie there it's better than getting tired later."

"Okay fine" She rolled her eyes. "If it makes you happy" She muttered getting up. "See you Doctor" she walked back into her room and sighed jumping onto her bed and just lying there for a few more hours trying to think about her 'dream'

"I thought we'd be going for the Vegas era, you know the white flares and the, grr, chest hair." Rose laughed a little placing her hands on her pink 50's style skirt. Rita shook her head walking out of the TARDIS following the blonde wearing leather trousers a white t-shirt and a leather jacket.

"How can you walk in those heels?" She asked looking down at Rose's pink high heels.

"You still got those vans on" Rose shook her head.

"If the Doctor can wear a suit and sandshoes I can wear this"

"Excuse me?" He popped his head out the TARDIS door, Rita almost laughed at his ridiculous hair style and bit her lip to stop her. "They are not sandshoes"

"Sure they're not" she muttered.

He rolled his eyes then looked at Rose. "You are kidding, aren't you? You want to see Elvis, you go for the late fifties. The time before burgers. When they called him the Pelvis and he still had a waist. What's more, you see him in style." The Doctor went back into the TARDIS and an engine roared. Rita rolled her eyes and the Doctor drove out the TARDIS on a blue scooter. Rita then walked in after he drove out.

"You going my way, doll?" He asked Rose in an accent.

"Is there any other way to go, daddy-o? Straight from the fridge, man."

The Doctor beamed. "Hey, you speak the lingo."

"Oh well, me, mum, Cliff Richard movies every Bank Holiday Monday." She shrugged getting in the pillion and putting a pink crash helmet on her head.

"Ah, Cliff. I knew your mother would be a Cliff fan." He then looked back at the TARDIS. "Rita?" He shouted.

"I'm coming I'm coming calm down" she shouted.

Another engine then roared and Rita drove out of the TARDIS on a black scooter.

"You think I was going to walk?" She laughed. The two laughed as well and drove down the road.

"Where we off to?" Rose shouted over the engines.

"Ed Sullivan TV Studios. Elvis did Hound Dog on one of the shows. There were loads of complaints. Bit of luck, we'll just catch it."

"And that'll be TV studios in, what, New York?" Rose asked.

"That's the one."

"Shame he can't ever land the TARDIS in the correct places" Rita snorted as a classic red London bus drove past.

"Ha! Digging that New York vibe." Rose laughed as the Doctor stopped and Rita stopped behind.

"Well, this could still be New York. I mean, this looks very New York to me. Sort of Londony New York, mind." He shrugged.

"You just don't want to admit that you can't fly the TARDIS right." Rita chuckled.

"Well, I didn't pass the test to fly her" Rita laughed at his words.

Rose looked up at the houses and noticed all the flags hung up. "What are all the flags for?"

"Let's go find out" Rita jumped off the scooter and walked down the road. The Doctor and Rose nodded in agreement jumping off theirs as well to catch up.

A man was handing an old TV to someone out of a van. "There you go, sir, all wired up for the great occasion."

The Doctor, Rita and Rose walked up. "The great occasion? What do you mean?" He asked.

"Where've you been living, out in the Colonies? Coronation, of course." He answered.

"What Coronation's that then?" Rita rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean? The Coronation." He repeated.

"It's the Queen's. Queen Elizabeth." Rose answered for the Doctor.

"Oh! Is this 1953?" The Doctor grinned placing his hands in his pockets.

"Last time I looked. Time for a lovely bit of pomp and circumstance, what we do best."

Rose frowned looking up at the houses. "Look at all the TV aerials. Looks like everyone's got one. That's weird. My nan said tellies were so rare they all had to pile into one house."

"Your nan was right" Rita replied.

The man shook his head. "Not around here, love. Magpie's Marvellous Tellies, only five quid a pop." The Doctor ignored Rose's obsession grinning to himself.

"Oh, but this is a brilliant year. Classic! Technicolour, Everest climbed, everything off the ration. The nation throwing off the shadows of war and looking forward to a happier, brighter future." He said the last part in a posh British accent causing Rita and Rose to laugh at him. There faces then fell at someone's cry for help. They turned and ran in the direction stopping as two men in black suits placed someone in the back of a car, a blanket covering his face.

The woman held a hand to her mouth sobbing a little. "Leave him alone! He's my husband! Please." She cried out.

"What's going on?" The Doctor shouted.

A boy ran out of a house. "Oi, what are you doing?"

One of the men replied. "Police business. Now, get out of the way, sir."

"Who did they take? Do you know him?" Rose looked at the boy.

Rita grumbled running to her scooter ready to pursue on the car.

"Must be Mister Gallagher." The boy replied. "It's happening all over the place. They're turning into monsters." A man shouted at the boy from the front door of his house his face anger yet fear. "Tommy! Not one word! Get inside now!" He ordered.

The boy apologised and headed back inside. The Doctor noticed Rita's scooter speeding away. "Rita!" He shouted. "All aboard!" He jumped on the other scooter and followed the brunette chasing the car.

The car was gaining a distance between it and Rita, it turned a corner and she grumbled in response. It disappeared and she couldn't remember where it went from the 'episode' why couldn't she remember? The Doctor and Rose caught up and stopped beside her.

"Lost them. How'd they get away from us?"

"Well we are on scooters and they are in a car, you were too busy talking as well" Rita answered his question. The Doctor rolled his eyes at her snarky response.

"Surprised they didn't turn back and arrest you for reckless driving. Have you actually passed your test?" Rose asked.

"Men in black? Vanishing police cars? This is Churchill's England, not Stalin's Russia."

"Oo men in black now that is a good movie" Rita laughed a little the Doctor and Rose looked at her each raising a brow. "Sorry bad time" she muttered the Doctor shook his head smiling at her most random comment.

"Monsters, that boy said. Maybe we should go and ask the neighbours." Rose suggested.

"That's what I like about you. The domestic approach." The Doctor grinned.

"Thank you. Hold on, was that an insult?" She asked.

"I thought you hated Domestics" Rita raised a brow. The Doctor took off before he could answer Rose gasped at the sudden jolt and Rita laughed loudly at her face. "Off we go" she commented speeding off catching up with them.

"And this is where things get confusing" Rita muttered as the Doctor pressed the doorbell.

"Complicated?" He rose a brow looking at her.

"His wife is called Rita, my name is Rita, little confusing don't you think?" She asked him.

"Ah right, well we can fix that Miss Stone?" He grinned.

"Now that's better" Rita grinned back and Rose chuckled a little then stopped her face becoming serious when she heard the door click to unlock and open.

"Hi!" The three of them said very cheerfully smiling away.

The man frowned. "Who are you, then?" He asked.

The Doctor looked at the man then what he could see of the inside of the house. "Let's see, then. Judging by the look of you, family man, nice house, decent wage, fought in the war, therefore I represent Queen and country." He looked at the brunette who nodded at his observations. The Doctor then pulled out the psychic paper out of the inside of his suit jacket showing it to the man.

"Just doing a little check of Her forthcoming Majesty's subjects before the great day. Don't mind if I come in?" He asked barging in the house anyways. Rita bit her lip to hold in the shocked look on the man's face. "Nah, I didn't think you did. Thank you." The Doctor walked past. Rita followed with Rose behind her.

The Doctor looked around nodding in approval. "Not bad. Very nice. Very well kept. I'd like to congratulate you, Mrs?"

"Connolly." The woman answered.

"Now then, Rita. I can handle this. This gentleman's a proper representative. Don't mind the wife, she rattles on a bit." The Doctor's Rita frowned at the man's comment. The Doctor looked over at her slightly nodding in agreement thinking that the man was being quite rude to his wife of all people.

"Well, maybe she should rattle on a bit more. I'm not convinced you're doing your patriotic duty. Nice flags. Why are they not flying?" He asked the Mister Connolly.

"There we are Rita, I told you, Get them up. Queen and country."

"I'm sorry." Mrs Connolly looked down in disappointment with herself.

"Get it done. Do it now." He ordered she flinched at the slight anger in his voice.

"Hold on a minute." The Doctor interrupted raising a hand.

Mister Connolly looked to his wife who stopped. "Like the gentleman says."

"Hold on a minute. You've got hands, Mister Connolly. Two big hands. So why is that your wife's job?"

"Well, it's housework, innit?" He answered.

"And that's a woman's job?" The Doctor asked. The brunette standing next to him crossed her arms disappointed in Mister Connolly.

"Of course it is." He answers. The Doctor looked over at the brunette who looked very pissed off with Mister Connolly's words. "Miss Stone?"

"Thought you would never ask" She grinned at him then turned to the man. "Mister Connolly, what gender is the Queen?" She asked. He looked at her confused obviously knowing that she knew the answer.

"She's a female."

"And are you actually suggesting that the Queen does the housework?" The Doctor added, the brunette rolled her eyes at him, he flashed a grin at her while Mister Connolly wasn't looking.

"No. Not at all."

"Then get busy." The Doctor told him.

Mr Connolly nodded frantically. "Right. Yes, sir. You'll be proud of us, sir. We'll have Union Jacks left, right and centre."

"Excuse me, Mister Connolly." He stopped rushing around. "Hang on a minute. Union Jacks?"

"Yes, that's right, isn't it?" He asked. She shook her head at him.

"That's the Union Flag. It's the Union Jack only when it's flown at sea."

"Oh. Oh, I'm sorry, I do apologise." He looked at the three who were overpowering him in his own house and he wasn't doing a thing about it.

"Well, don't get it wrong again, there's a good man. Now get to it!" Rose ordered.

"Right then! Nice and comfy, at Her Majesty's leisure. Union Flag?" He asked. The three sat down on the sofa.

"Mum went out with a sailor," Rose told them.

"Oh ho ho ho. I bet she did. Anyway, I'm the Doctor and this is Miss Stone and Rose, and you are?" The Doctor asked the boy.

"Tommy."

"Well, sit yourself down, Tommy. Have a look at this. I love telly, don't you?"

"Yeah, I think it's brilliant." Tommy nodded at him.

"Good man!" He smiled. The Doctor turned to Mister Connolly. "Keep working, Mister C!" He turned to his wife who looked in much distress. "Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

"Did you say you were a doctor?" She asked.

"Yes, I am." He reassured her.

"Can you help her? Oh please, can you help her, Doctor?" She begged him. Her husband stopped and turned a frown on his face.

"Now then, Rita. I don't think the gentleman needs to know"

"No, the gentleman does." The Doctor told him.

"Tell us what's wrong, and we can help," Rose told the woman who then burst into tears, Rose moved to comfort her crying into her hands. "I'm sorry. It's all right. Come here. It's okay." She told her rubbing the woman's back.

Mister Connolly stood up from what he was doing. "Hold on a minute. Queen and country's one thing, but this is my house! What the?" He looked at his hand and threw the bunting down on the ground.

"What the hell am I doing?" He turned to the Doctor pointing right in his face. "Now you listen here, Doctor. You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business."

"A lot of people are being bundled into-" The Doctor was interrupted by Mister Connolly shouting, something you shouldn't do to the Doctor, never interrupt with shouting.

"I am talking!" he bellowed in the Doctors face.

The Doctor's eyes became dark and deadly, something you didn't want facing you no matter what. "And I'm not listening!" He mimicked Mister Connolly. "Now you, Mister Connolly, you are staring into a deep, dark pit of trouble if you don't let me help. So I'm ordering you, sir! Tell me what's going on!" He ordered. The two stared at each other, eyes narrowed and glaring into the opposites skull. Then the thumping broke the deadly stares and silence. They all looked up at the ceiling. Mister Connolly spoke much calmer.

"She won't stop. She never stops."

"We started hearing stories, all round the place. People who've changed. Families keeping it secret because they were scared. Then the police started finding out. We don't know how no one does. They just turn up, come to the door and take them, any time of the day or night." Tommy explained his eyes showing fear, not for his father's reactions but his own words, desperately hoping that what he was saying would never happen to the woman upstairs.

"Show me."

They walked up the stairs heading to what they guessed to be the woman's room in the house. "Gran? It's Tommy. It's all right, Gran. I've brought help." Tommy said softly walking into the room. He turned the light on and the room lit up causing the room to glow with light.

The Doctor looked at the old woman. She had no face at all where her eyes, nose and mouth was once before was now nothing, empty like it was never there. "Her face is completely gone." He slowly walked up to the woman and used the sonic screwdriver to scan her empty face. "Scarcely an electrical impulse left. Almost complete neural shutdown. She's ticking over. It's like her brain has been wiped clean."

"What're we going to do, Doctor? We can't even feed her." Tommy asked. There was a loud crash at the front door, they all turned.

"We've got company," Rose told them.

"It's them. They've come for her!" Mrs Connolly cried out.

"Quickly. What was she doing before this happened? Where was she? Tell me. Quickly, think!"

"I can't think! She doesn't leave the house! She was just-" he was interrupted before finishing with the men in black suits bursting in the room.

"Hold on a minute." The Doctor stepped forward raising his hands to talk. "There are three important, brilliant, and complicated reasons why you should listen to me. One-" the man standing in front of the Doctor punched in the face causing him to fall back down to the floor. Rita clenched her jaw and practically dived for the man only to get punched to the floor beside the Doctor.

"Doctor! Rita!" Rose kneeled in between them both shouting the Time Lord and brunettes name.

"Oh, that didn't go how I planned" the brunette groaned her hand reaching for her head now pounding uncontrollably.

"Leave her alone! No!" Mrs Connolly shouted.

Rose started to hit the Doctors face lightly trying to get him to wake up. "Doctor!" She shouted. Rita groaned sitting up a little frantically blinking regaining her own head back in her control then noticed what was going on. She jumped up running down the stairs.

The Doctor then suddenly sat up clicking his neck. "Ah, hell of a right hook. Have to watch out for that." He jumped up springing down the stairs after the brunette. Rita gritted her teeth noticing the spark known as 'the wire' on the TV she didn't want to but she needed to go with the Doctor, Rita couldn't save Rose it was an event that had to happen, but she didn't want the blonde to go alone. The Doctor would surely hate her for it but she needed to go with him, knowing from past experiences that the Doctor in this universe and not the TV show didn't have the answers to some of the things in the show. As much as he didn't want to admit it himself sometimes he really, _really_ needed the brunette by his side, for one of her secrets or just a smile he needed her as well as the blonde companion with him. This was something Rita had to decide and of course, she decided _him._

"Rose, we're going to lose them again!" He shouted jumping on the scooter, Rita jumped on the back throwing the keys to her own scooter on the seat for Rose.

"What about Rose?" The Doctor slightly turned his head towards Rita.

"She can take mine come on!" She shouted not meaning to sound so rude. The Doctor nodded and started the engine following the car. Rita felt a pang of guilt in her stomach for leaving the blonde who would go through so much pain. She had to go with the Doctor though, something might happen that he cannot solve and only she would know what to do Rita repeatedly told herself the Doctor fixated on the road and car in front which he was gaining speed on.

"Oh, very good. Very good." The Doctor grinned applauding the clever work of whoever was behind this idea. He turned to Rita as if to say that they would go and explore. Without saying a word she got off the scooter and followed the Doctor, they reached a door and the Doctor opened it with the sonic screwdriver. The Doctor and Rita walk through the small door and saw the two men from before locking a padlock then leave. The Doctor walked over with Rita following and unlocks the padlock walking inside. They walk into a large caged area full of people with blank faces. They walk in and the Doctor shined a light.

As if they were attracted to the light the people slowly move closer forcing the Doctor and Rita to back upright against a metal wall. A bright light then flashes dispersing the people. "Stay where you are." A man warned them.


	20. The Idiot's Lantern - Two

The Doctor and Rita sat at a table the two men standing opposite one of them leaning against the table in front of them and the other with their arms crossed. "Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you know." The one with their arms crossed asked.

"Well, for starters, I know you can't wrap your hand around your elbow and make your fingers meet." He looked over at Rita smirking, she rolled her eyes not able to help smirking back at him.

"Don't get clever with me. You were both there today at Florizel Street, and now breaking into this establishment. Now you're connected with this. Make no mistake."

"Well, the thing is, Detective Inspector Bishop." The Doctor leaned back in his chair as the detective frowned.

"How do you know my name?" He asked slightly leaning forward towards the Doctor.

"It's written inside your collar." The detective looked at his own collar. "Bless your mum." He mumbled. "But I can't help thinking, Detective Inspector, you're not exactly doing much detective inspecting, are you?"

"Seems we're doing more of that" Rita commented earning a 'shut up' glare from the Detective, she didn't notice but the Doctor was sending a deadly stare at the detective.

"I'm doing everything in my power." He told them.

"All you're doing is grabbing those faceless people and hiding them as fast as you can. Don't tell me orders from above, hmm? Coronation Day. The eyes of the world are on London Town so any sort of problem just gets swept out of sight."

"The nation has an imagine to maintain." Bishop simply answered.

"But doesn't it drive you mad, doing nothing? Don't you want to get out there and investigate?" He asked.

"Of course I do. But, with all the crowds expected, we haven't got the manpower. Even if we did, this is beyond anything we've ever seen. I just don't know anymore. Twenty years on the force, I don't even know where to start. We haven't the faintest clue what's going on." Rita smiled knowing that the Doctor was never going to turn down a cry for help.

"Well, that could change." The Doctor looked at Rita a brow raised she nodded in response and leant forward on the table on the same time as the Doctor.

"How?"

"Start from the beginning." They both said in unison. "Tell us everything you know."

Bishop blinked for a moment looking between the two, he walked towards a board Rita and the Doctor watched him move then got up and walked over to him. "We started finding them about a month ago. Persons left sans visage. Heads just blank."

The Doctor placed on his glasses and leant forward looking at the board. "Is there any sort of pattern?"

"Yes, spreading out from North London. All over the city. Men, women, kids, grannies. The only real lead is there's been quite a large number in-"

"Florizel Street." The Doctor interrupted.

Rita's heart sank, she really wished she couldn't remember at times, but then there was also times she wished she could. That is life though, right? Remembering and forgetting. The Doctor would never forget this or trust the brunette again. "Found another one, sir." A man walked in.

"Oh, er, good man, Crabtree. Here we are, Doctor. Take a good look. See what you can deduce." The man walked the person in. The Doctor turned around and his face fell noticing the pink skirt and pink high heels.

"Rose." He said as the cloth covering her face wall pulled off showing the empty blank face.

"You know her?" Bishop asked.

"Know her? She..." the Doctor stopped. Rita looked at Rose words unable to describe her feelings the best she could think of was: guilt, sadness and just being empty, she should have gone with her but she didn't she cowered away from it going with the Doctor knowing fully well what would happen. A tear slipped out of her eye and rolled down her face. The Doctor slowly moved his hand and rested it besides what once was the blonde's cheek. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that the brunette looked broken and was definitely blaming herself. _It's not her fault_ he repeatedly told himself. _This was a fixed point that she could not change._ He turned to the brunette pulling her into a hug resting his chin on top of her head. "It's not your fault" he whispered into her hair. He knew she was crying from the sudden gentle movement in her head and the tight hold she had on his suit jacket clinging on trying to tell herself what he was telling her. She didn't hear the first part of what the detectives were saying but her head snapped up at the mentioning of Rose being on her own.

"Heavens help us if something happens in public tomorrow for the big day. We'll have Torchwood on our backs then, make no mistake." Rita's grip on the Doctors jacket tightened even more.

"Forget them" she mumbled.

"They did what?" The Doctor asked through gritted teeth not turning away from the brunette or Rose.

"I'm sorry?" Bishop asked.

"They left her where?" He repeated the title 'The Oncoming Storm' clearly showing.

"Just in the street." Bishop answered.

"In the street. They left her in the street." Rita released her grip her face showing the same anger as the Doctors now. "They took her face and just chucked her out and left her in the street. And as a result, that makes things simple. Very, very simple. Do you know why?" He asked.

"No."

"Because now, Detective Inspector Bishop, there is no power on this Earth that can stop me. Come on!" He took the brunette's hand her face showing the same determination as his running out of the office they were in and exiting the warehouse.

He stopped just outside the warehouse holding the brunette firmly by her shoulder and slightly bending down a little so he was matching her height. "Don't blame yourself" He told her. "I need you here, you know what happens and I don't, we will get Rose back I promise." He looked into her hazel eyes glassy with tears she was holding back looking sore and red from the quiet crying from before. She definitely did not believe all of his words, definitely, it not being her fault but she trusted him with her life so she listened nodded and followed, his hand still with hers keeping her just that bit stronger to push on. The Doctor ran with Rita down the street heading towards the Connolly house. He rang the doorbell his face full of anger the face that hadn't changed except when he talked to the brunette next to him. The door slowly opened and Tommy saw the Doctor, Rita and Bishop. "Tommy, talk to me. I need to know exactly what happened inside your house." He told the boy. The door then swung open and Mister Connolly stood there and spoke loudly at the boy.

"What the blazes do you think you're doing?" Mr Connolly looked at the boy angrily.

Tommy was backed up against the door frame intimidated by his own father. "I want to help, dad."

"Mister Connolly" the Doctor started to speak by was interrupted by the sudden snap of the man's neck, pointing and shouting in his face.

"Shut your face, you, whoever you are. We can handle this ourselves." He narrowed his eyes at the Doctor then turned to his son. "Listen, you little twerp." Rita went to launch for the man by the Doctor squeezed her hand telling her not to. "You're hardly out of the blooming' cradle, so I don't expect you to understand. But I've got a position to maintain. People round here respect me. It matters what people think." Mister Connolly spoke quietly through gritted teeth trying not to get everyone in the whole streets attention.

"Is that why you did it, dad?" Tommy asked finally understanding what his father had done.

Mister Connolly frowned not understanding what his son was talking about. "What do you mean? Did what?"

"You ratted on Gran. How else would the police know where to look, unless some coward told them?"

Mister Connolly's eyes burned with rage his fists clenched and he inched closer to the boy so he was looking down at him even more. "How dare you! Do you think I fought a war just so a mouthy little scum like you could call me a coward?"

"You don't get it, do you? You fought against fascism, remember? People telling you how to live, who you could be friends with, who you could fall in love with, who could live and who had to die. Don't you get it? You were fighting so that little twerps like me could do what we want, say what we want. Now you've become just like them. You've been informing on everyone, haven't you? Even Gran. All to protect your precious reputation."

Mrs Connolly stepped out of the hallway her face hurt and broken. "Eddie is that true?"

"I did it for us, Rita. She was filthy. A filthy, disgusting thing!" The Doctor and the brunette beside him gritted their teeth clenching their jaws in anger. Is this what he thought about everyone that this happened to? Filthy disgusting things?

"She's my mother. All the others you informed on, all the people in our street, our friends." Mrs Connolly's voice cracked a little.

"I had to." He protested. "I, I did the right thing." He pleaded for understanding, Mrs Connolly heard enough.

"The right thing for us or for you, Eddie?" Mrs Connolly looked at her son. "You go, Tommy. Go with the Doctor and Miss Stone and do some good. Get away from this house, it's poison. We had a ruddy monster under this roof, all right, but it weren't my mother!" She stepped back and slammed the door on Mister Connolly who proceeded to shout his wife's name.

"Tommy?" The Doctor looked at the boy. They started to walk down the street. People were beginning to bring tables, chairs and food out for the street party later on. "Tommy, tell me about that night. The night she changed."

"She was just watching the telly," Tommy told him.

The Doctor looked up. then mumbled. "Rose said it. She guessed it straight away. Of course, she did. All these aerials in one little street." He looked at Tommy again. "How come?"

"Bloke up the road, Mister Magpie, he's selling them cheap," Tommy said.

"Is he, now?" Bishop asked.

"That's where Rose went!" Rita shouted. The Doctor ran pulling her with him

"Come on!" They ran down the street towards the shop. "Anything?" The Doctor asked Rita.

She thought for a moment. "Okay, secret, careful it's the woman. Keep your sonic screwdriver close in reach."

"Ooo two for the price of one aren't I lucky?" He grinned running up to the shop. Rita kicked the door open before the Doctor could smash the glass window on it. "How?"

"One of my friends told me about that, well hopefully a friend... useful on boyfriends apparently" she grinned. _Thanks, Donna_ smiling to herself remembering how Donna kicked the door open in an 'episode' they ran in. Bishop caught up breathing deeply.

"Here, you can't do that" Bishop told them.

"Well, I just did,thr" Rita told him not up for arguments.

"Shop! If you're here, come out and talk to me! Magpie!" The Doctor frantically hit the bell on the table.

"Maybe he's out." Bishop suggested.

"Looks like it" the Doctor ran around and started to open the draws. Rita opened the one he missed taking out the portable television.

"Looking for something like this?" She suggested. The Doctor looked up looking between the small TV and Rita then smiled widely.

"Oh you are very clever Rita Stone" she grinned at his compliment then handed him the TV

"This isn't right." He looked at it flipping it to look at it. "This is very much not right." He then licked it and looked over at Rita smiling a little-disgusted face she was making. "Tastes like iron. Bakelite. Put together with human hands, yes, but the design itself. Oh, beautiful work. That is so simple."

Bishop stared at the object in the Doctors hand. "That's incredible. It's like a television, but portable. A portable television." The Doctor then raised his sonic screwdriver pointing it in the direction of the tvs in the room.

"It's not the only power source in this room." He mumbled. The TV screens than all lit up with a face all mouthing 'help'

"Gran?" Tommy walked over looking up at the TV with his gran's face on. Rita automatically saw her friend mouthing two words. Both of her best mates names. They both slowly walked over.

"We're on our way." The Doctor whispered placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder in comfort.

A door clicked open and the man from the van handing out the TV's stepped in the room. "What do you think you're doing?"

The Doctor marched over gritting his teeth and getting right in the man's face. Causing him to back up against the door frame. "I want my friend restored, and I think that's beyond a little backstreet electrician, so tell me, who's really in charge here?"

"Yoo hoo!" They all turned to the sound of the female voice. They're eyed all landed on a television. "I think that must be me. Ooh, these two are smart as paint." She looked between the Doctor and Rita.

Bishop looked at the TV in full disbelief. "Is she talking to us?"

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, ma'am, I'm afraid you've brought this on yourselves. May I introduce you to my new friend." He paused on the last word as if it wasn't true at all.

"Jolly nice to meet you." She beamed at them.

"Oh my God, it's her, that woman off the telly." Bishops eyes widened.

"No, it's just using her image." The Doctor told him.

"What? What are you?" Tommy asked.

"The wire" Rita spat. "That's what you are aren't you?"

"Oooo this one is very clever even knows my name, yes I'm the Wire, and I will gobble you up, pretty boy" the Wire looked at Tommy who looked back in horror. "Every last morsel. And when I have feasted, I shall regain the corporeal body, which my fellow kind denied me." The black and white image changed to fully colour.

Bishop gasped at the sight. "Good Lord. Colour television!"

"So your own people tried to stop you?" The Doctor asked for confirmation.

"They executed me. But I escaped in this form and fled across the stars."

"And now you're trapped in the television." He grinned.

"Not for much longer." The Wire smiled evilly.

Tommy asked his voice shaking. "Doctor, is this what got my Gran?"

"Yes, Tommy. It feeds off the electrical activity of the brain, but it gorges itself like a great overfed pig, taking people's faces, their essences. It stuffs itself."

"It's disgusting" Rita spat the words out.

"And you let her do it, Magpie." Bishop turned to him.

Magpie violently shook his head. "I had to. She allowed me my face. She's promised to release me at the time of manifestation."

"What does that mean?" Tommy asked.

"The coronation" Rita answered. "All those people watching the television, how many would that be Doctor?" Rita asked.

"millions" he replied then started to explain. "For the first time in history, millions gathered around a television set. But you're not strong enough yet, are you? You can't do it all from here. That's why you need this." He waved the portable television around. "You need something more powerful! This will turn a big transmitter into a big receiver."

"What a clever thing you two are! But why fret about it? Why not just relax? Kick off your shoes and enjoy the Coronation." She smiled. "Believe me, you'll be glued to the screen."

"Doctor the sonic-" the energy pulled at her face stopping Rita from continuing to speak, it felt like her whole face was being ripped apart.

"Doctor!" Bishop cried out.

The Wire laughed. "Hungry! Hungry! The Wire is hungry! Ah, this one is tasty. Oh, I'll have lashings of him! Delicious!" She cried. The Doctor wasn't giving up. Slowly he reached up, pain coursing through his body, not as much as the others but it was there, he grabbed the sonic screwdriver.

"Ah! Armed." The Wire cried out. "He's armed and clever. Withdraw! Withdraw!" The Wire lets go, they all fall to the floor collapsing.

"The box, Magpie! The box!" The Wire cried out.

The Doctor woke up and saw Bishop without his face, the Doctors eyes frantically darted around looking for the brunette, a deep sigh escaped him when he saw she was ok looking like a peaceful sleep. "Rita, come on Rita" he gently shook her body, her eyes flickered open. "No time for sleeping we have to get Rose back," he told her. She nodded the Doctor stood up then helped her, her legs collapsed a little from the sudden waking, the Doctor caught her an arm on her waist. She blinked and slightly blushed noticing his arm. _Not now_ she thought slightly looking down hoping he wouldn't notice "Easy there," he told her either not registering her face or not noticing. He helped her regain her balance then turned at a slight groan.

"What happened?" Tommy asked touching his head and beginning to stand up.

"Where's Magpie?" The Doctor asked looking around.

They stepped outside and Tommy was definitely losing hope. "We don't even know where to start looking. It's too late."

"It's never too late, as a wise person once said. Kylie, I think." He started to walk around. "The Wire's got big plans. It'll need. Yes, yes, yes, it's got to harvest half the population. Millions and millions of people and where are we?"

"Muswell Hill."

"Muswell Hill," He repeated the boy then widened his eyes looking at Rita. "Muswell Hill! Which mean" He turned in the direction of the large television transmitter. "Alexandra Palace, biggest TV transmitter in North London. Oh, that's why it chose this place. Tommy?"

"What are you going to do?" He asked

"We're going shopping." They ran back into the shop The Doctor started to turn the building upside down looking for a large valve.

"Is this what you want?" Tommy asked holding up the part The Doctor runs over.

"Perfect! Right, I need one more thing." He then ran back to the TARDIS Rita behind him. "Stay here!" He shouted running inside.

"What's he doing ?" Tommy asked.

"I tend not to question it" Rita answered. "We need to keep that thing from coming back so he's getting something to do just that" She explained just as the Doctor ran back out. "Got it. Let's go." They run heading for the tower.

After more running through streets, they arrive at the transmitter. "There!" Tommy shouts pointing at Magpie who was climbing the transmitter.

"Come on!" The Doctor shouted. A guard goes to stop them but the Doctor shows the psychic paper.

"Oh! I'm very sorry, sir, ma'am. Shouldn't you be at the Coronation?" One of the men asked.

 _Ma'am?_ Rita thought.

"They're saving us a seat." The Doctor replied running.

"Who did he think you were?" Tommy asked running with the two.

"King and Queen of Belgium, apparently." Rita felt her cheeks heat up at that for some reason that she didn't know why or was able to explain. They arrived at a control room and the Doctor opened it with the sonic screwdriver.

"Keep this switched on. Don't let anyone stop you, Tommy. Everything depends on it. You understand?" He nodded frantically at him. "Rita stay with him" She nodded not arguing with him as he ran out wire attached to him.

"What's he doing," Tommy asked.

"Something clever" She replied. "Tommy go to the store and get another valve"

"Why?" He asked.

"Tommy do you trust the Doctor?" She asked, there was no reply. "Tommy do you?!" She raised her voice a little.

"Yes," He replied running out heading to the store for another valve. Rita paced around the room she knew he could do this but what if something happened? What if something changed from the 'episode' and now what if he fell? She ran a hand through her brown hair. Tommy soon arrived back and there was a spark where the valve was. Tommy handed Rita the replacement and she changed the valve as fast as she could. She breathed out a sigh and sunk into a chair next to her knowing that the Doctor had saved the Earth once more.

"What have I missed?" The Doctor asked casually leaning against the door.

"Doctor!" Tommy and Rita turned, she ran up to him giving him a tight hug which he returned.

"You okay?" She asked him pulling away from the tight squeeze.

"I'm always okay" He smiled.

"What happened?" Tommy asked.

"Sorted. Electrical creature, TV technology, clever alien life form." He winked at Rita who rolled her eyes at him giving a slight nudge with her elbow. "That's me by the way." He told Tommy. "I turned the receiver back into a transmitter and I trapped the Wire in here." He pressed a button and a tape popped out.

"I just invented the home video thirty years early. Betamax. Oh, look. God save the Queen, eh?" He raised a brow at Rita. They exited the control room and walked along the road.

"They all have their faces back," Rita told Tommy.

"Gran will be back?" He asked.

"Yeah" She nodded. "And Rose" She looked up at the Doctor smiling, he returned it and they headed towards where all the people who didn't have their faces were kept.

Tommy's gran then turned around and noticed him standing there once they arrived. She held a hand to her mouth and pointed at him "Oh, it's my grandson, Oh, son!" He ran up to her giving her a hug.

Rita noticed Rose grinning at them both, she lightly tapped the Doctors arm and nodded her head in Rose's direction when he was looking at her slightly frowning a little not understanding what she wanted, but then he did and saw Rose clearly standing out of the crowd with her bright pink skirt. The two let out a chuckle running up to the blonde and crashing into her with a hug almost causing her to fall over.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asked Rose letting her go. She nodded in response giving out a small laugh. "Yeah, I'm fine, you two?"

"We're good, the Doctor had a shocking time against the Wire" Rita laughed at her own pun, the Doctor rolled his eyes. "That hurt!" He said in protest. He linked his arms with both girls and they headed out of the Yard heading back towards where the street party was being held.

The three walked along the street smiling with the girls an arm still linked with the Doctor's "We could go down the Mall, join in with the crowds." Rose suggested Rita shook her head shrivelling up her nose at the thought of being in a huge crowd of people.

"Nah, that's just pomp and circumstance." The Doctor shook his head. "This is history right here." He let go of them and waved his arms about.

"The domestic approach." Rose raised a brow.

"Exactly."

"And you said you hated domestics" Rita smirked a little.

"Will it, that thing, is it trapped for good on video?" Rose asked looking at the tape.

"Hope so. Just to be on the safe side though, I'll use my unrivalled knowledge of transtemporal extirpation methods to neutralise the residual electronic pattern."

"You what?" Rose looked very confused.

"What he means is that he's going to tape it over." She laughed. "Why can't you just say that?" The brunette shook her head at him.

"Doesn't make me sound clever otherwise" He winked.

The Doctor turned to Tommy. "Tell you what, Tommy, you can have the scooters. Little present. Best, er, keep them in the garage for a few years, though, eh?" He suggested, Tommy nodded then saw his dad leaving the house with his case.

"Good riddance," Tommy muttered then turned his head to see his mother and his gran hugging as Mister Connolly walked off down the street.

"Is that it, then, Tommy? New monarch, new age, new world. No room for a man like Eddie Connelly."

"That's right. He deserves it." Rita drew her brows together then looked over at Rose, they both looked at Tommy thinking exactly the same thing.

"Tommy, go after him." Rose told the boy.

"What for?" He asked frowning looking up at her.

"He's your dad." she said.

"And you only get one of those, well unless you happen to see another in a parallel universe but that most likely wouldn't happen." The boy looked at the brunette confused, the Doctor and Rose shook theirs heads giggling a little at her comment.

"He's an idiot." Tommy protested about following his father.

"Of course he is. Like Rose said, he's your dad." She smiled then convinced him to go. "But you're clever. Clever enough to save the world, so don't stop there. Go on." She gave him a nudge and he ran over to his father taking the suitcase out of his hand and carrying it for him, father and son side by side. The Doctor turned to the girls with two glasses of orange in his hand giving one of each of them before picking up his own. They had a toast and then drank the orange. "So what do we do now?" Rita asked placing the glass beside her and crossing her arms leaning against part of the table behind her.

"Same old life back to the TARDIS, right?" He looked between then.

Rose hummed a yes drinking her orange.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, although I would like to get out of this leather when we get back, bit sticky" She scrunched up her nose sticking out her tongue a little.

"Of course" The Doctor and Rose both laughed linking their arms again, The Doctor then held out his other for the brunette to take which she did, then they slowly walked back to the TARDIS.


	21. The Impossible Planet

**Since there are seven days left and until Christmas and I have eight chapters left there will be two chapters each day leading up to Christmas! This will hopefully catch me up with Quotev a little bit since I'm further ahead over there with this series then I am here.**

* * *

"How's them dreams?" The Doctor asked Rita sitting beside her in the console room.

"Oh well I haven't got any other dreams like that" She replied crossing her legs. "Still can't remember what I was dreaming about"

"You'll remember," He told her getting up.

"Where are we going next?" She asked.

"Never ended up going to Barcelona," He thought out loud. "Shall we go to Barcelona?"

"Where dogs have no noses?" She grinned.

"That's the one" He ran around the console.

"Rose!" The Doctor beamed seeing her walk in. "You know I said about Barcelona that time?"

"After you regenerated scaring the hell out of me and was talking about that mole" She raised a brow laughing.

"I love the mole! Leave the mole alone, but yes that Barcelona."

"What about it?"

"What do you say about taking a trip to Barcelona" She grinned and the Doctor took that as a yes and pulled a lever.

"Careful bit tight out here" Rita warned the Doctor and Rose stepping out the TARDIS moving over a bit. "Aww I know where we are, not even Barcelona" she moaned.

"One day I promise you will see Barcelona, the planet where the dogs have no noses." He laughed at Rita's face she rolled her eyes knowing that they weren't going to leave since the TARDIS apparently takes the Doctor where he needs to be and he definitely needed to be here. "I don't know what's wrong, though." He looked at the TARDIS rubbing the door making Rita snort a little. "She's sort of queasy. Indigestion, like she didn't want to land."

"Oh, if you think there's going to be trouble, we could always get back inside and go somewhere else, say Barcelona?." She looked at Rita pausing biting her lip, Rita did the same trying to hold in a laugh, they then burst out in hysterics unable to keep it in. After the outburst, the Doctor looked around the tight space.

"I think we've landed inside a cupboard." He moved past Rita opening the door. "Here we go."

A robotic computer then said: _Open door 15._

The Doctor took in the surroundings. "Some sort of base. Moonbase, sea base, space base. They build these things out of kits."

"Space" Rita confirmed for them.

"Ooh, so this is one of your little 'episodes' eh?" The Doctor raised a brow.

"TARDIS feeling queasy, storage area, space base. Definitely one of my 'episodes'" She used her fingers for speech marks laughing a little.

 _Close door 15._

"Glad we're indoors. sounds like a storm out there." Rose shivered.

"Storm in space?" Rita's brows came together in a frown.

"Anything can happen in space!" The Doctor told them. "Rain in space not so much, but a storm in space. definitely possible, metaphorically"

 _Open door 16._

They walked through a corridor and the Doctor continued talking to both the girls. "Human design. You've got a thing about kits. This place was put together like a flat pack wardrobe, only bigger. And easier.

 _Open door 17._

They walked into a room with a few tables and chairs. "Oh, it's a sanctuary base." The Doctor looked around his mouth open in an 'o' shape. "You were close" He nodded his head left to Rita.

 _Close door 17._

"But we are in space, deep, deep space. A deep Space exploration. We've gone way out. And listen to that, underneath." He bent down a little putting his ear closer to the ground. "Someone's drilling."

"Well isn't that lovely." Rita looked at the direction Rose was looking in.

"Welcome to hell." The blonde companion read aloud. The Doctor not paying attention to the two continued looking at the floor listening to the drilling.

"Oh, it's not that bad."

"No, over there." Rose laughed. It faded when she saw the confused expression on the Doctors face. He walked towards the sign looking at the small shapes bellow it.

"Hold on, what does that say? That's weird, it won't translate." He looked at Rita then Rose.

"And it's not because she's sick either" Rita pointed out.

"No it's not" He mumbled placing a hand on the writing as if it would do something.

Rose looked at the two confused. "But I thought the Tardis translated everything, writing as well. We should see English."

"Exactly. If that's not working, then it means this writing is old. Very old. Impossibly old. We should find out who's in charge." The Doctor started to spin the wheel on another door.

"We've gone beyond the reach of the Tardis' knowledge. Not a good move. And if someone's lucky enough-"

 _Open door 19._ The Door opened and ailens with tenticals where their nose and mouth would be better known to Rita as the Ood, they were standing behind the door causing the Doctor and Rose to jump at the sight. "Oh! Right. Hello. Sorry. I was just saying, er, nice base." He commented.

The Ood all say in sync: "We must feed." The Doctor and Rose frown in confusion. "You've got to what?"

"We must feed."

"Yeah. I think they mean us." They begin to back away, Rita shook her head staying where she was not moving.

"Rita!" The Doctor pulled her back before she had time to tell them both that the Ood didn't mean literally eating them.

"We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed." They chanted. Rita rolled her eyes, the Doctor brought out his sonic screwdriver pointing it at the Ood while Rose grabbed a chair. Rita sighed at how much they looked like idiots, the Doctor and Rose was definitely too busy with the situation with the Ood to notice her body language.

"We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed. We must feed." They chanted over and over. The Ood all stop and the Ood in front then repeats what they said multiple times over on its own. "We must feed." it then tapped the white globe causing it to flicker off then on again. "You, if you are hungry."

"I did try to tell you" Rita muttered. The Doctor lowered the sonic screwdriver and Rose did the same with the chair.

"Sorry?" The Doctor asked it to explain.

"We apologise. Electromagnetics have interfered with speech systems. Would you like some refreshment?"

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "Er"

 _Open door 18_. The door beside then opened and two people emerged from the door, the look on their faces showed confusion and shock as if they had seen a ghost.

"What the hell? How did?" A man looked baffled stepping closer to the three. The Ood stepped aside for the man. He raised his hand and spoke into a wrist comm not breaking his gaze with the Doctor thinking that if he looked away they would disappear. "Captain, you're not going to believe this. We've got people. Out of nowhere. I mean, real people. I mean three living people, just standing here right in front of me."

"Two actually" Rita mumbled just loud enough for the Doctor and Rose to hear, the Doctor glanced at her and she just grinned at him.

"Don't be stupid, that's impossible." A man on the other end spoke out.

"I suggest telling them that."

"But you're a sort of space base. You must have visitors now and then. It can't be that impossible." Rose told the man not understanding where they were.

"You're telling me you don't know where you are?" He looked at them like they were mad (Which they were when with the Doctor)

"No idea. More fun that way." The Doctor smiled.

"I know" Rita raised a hand.

"Yeah but you're not fun." The Doctor commented.

"Oi! I can be fun!" She protested shoving his shoulder a little playfully, he just smirked at her shaking his head.

"So you know but them two don't?" The man from before pointed at Rita then at the Doctor and Rose.

"Yep" She popped the 'p' smiling.

"How?"

"Long explanation that I don't want to repeat five times" She groaned.

"Why do you think I don't say about two hearts?" The Doctor whispered in her ear.

"Good point" She nodded having to give him that one. The man opened his mouth to ask another question but was interrupted by a woman on the wrist-comm.

"Stand by, everyone. Buckle down. We have incoming. And it's a big one. Quake point five on its way." The man ran to the door opening it and ordering everyone inside, alarms began to blare in the room and they ran through not asking any questions.

The room they were now in had 5 other people three around what looked like controls and two others sitting at a console.

"Oh, my God. You meant it." A man looked up noticing the Doctor, Rita and Rose standing there.

"People! Look at that, real people!" A woman looked at them wide eyed.

The Doctor looked slightly uncomfortable and cheered. "That's us. Hooray!"

"Yeah, definitely real. My name's Rose. Rose Tyler. And, and this is the Doctor and Rita Stone"

One of the men walked over to the three not believing his eyes. "Come on the oxygen must be offline. We're hallucinating." The three just gave him a look as if to say 'really?' "They can't be. No, they're real." His eyes widened in shock and mouth hung open.

"Come on, we're in the middle of an alert! Danny, strap up. The quake's coming in! Impact in thirty seconds! Sorry, you three, whoever you are. Just hold on, tight." Rita walked back a little and held onto a bar connected to a table.

"Hold on to what?" Rose looked around.

"Anything. I don't care. Just hold on. Ood, are we fixed?"

"Your kindness in this emergency is much appreciated." One of the Ood said quite calmly.

"What's this planet called, anyway?" The Doctor asked holding into the bar beside Rita.

A woman looked up at him like he was definitely an idiot. "Now, don't be stupid. It hasn't got a name. How could it have a name? You really don't know, do you?" She asked not giving him time to answer the man from before shouted impact and the whole room shook for a second. The Doctor stood up after it stopped.

"Oh, well, that wasn't so bad."

"You wish" Rita muttered pulling him back towards the bar just before the room shook more violently. One of the consoles burst into flames, sparks flew everywhere and smoke began to fill the room, the shaking stopped and the man which Rita now remembered as Zach the captain confirmed it was over. One of the men closest to the door jumped up, grabbed a fire extinguisher and started to put the fire out.

"Everyone all right?" He asked getting no response he ordered them to speak. "Speak to me, Ida."

"Yeah, yeah" she quickly answered.

"Danny?"

"Fine."

"Toby?" He continued to ask everyone.

"Yeah, fine."

"Scooti?"

"No damage." She replied not saying if she was okay or not.

"Jefferson?"

"Check!"

After a pause, the Doctor spoke up sarcastically. "We're fine, thanks, fine. Yeah, don't worry about us."

Zach ignored the Doctor looking at what looked to be a map of the base. "The surface caved in."

"I deflected it onto storage five through eight. We've lost them completely." Rita bit her lip knowing that the TARDIS was in one of those storages, she could have stopped this and told the Doctor to land elsewhere but she didn't, would it have changed the course of the 'episode' much? Probably not the TARDIS could just end up in one of the other storage rooms that were lost.

"Toby, go and check the rocket link," Zach ordered.

"That's not my department." He protested against the captain.

"Just do as I say, yeah?" Zach wasn't taking no for an answer. Toby slightly huffed then walked out of the room.

"Oxygen holding. Internal gravity fifty-six point six. We should be okay." The woman informed Zach.

"Never mind the earthquake, that's, that's one hell of a storm. What is that, a hurricane?" Rose asked forgetting she was in space.

"You'd need an atmosphere for a hurricane. There's no air out there. It's a complete vacuum." The woman told her.

"Then what's shaking the roof?" Rose asked.

"You're not joking. You really don't know. Well, introductions. F Y I, as they said in the olden days. I'm Ida Scott, science officer. Zachary Cross Flane, acting Captain, sir. You've met Mister Jefferson, he's Head of Security. Danny Bartock, Ethics committee." She pointed to all of the other people.

"Not as boring as it sounds." Danny interrupted Ida.

"And that man who just left, that was Toby Zed, Archaeology, and this is Scooti Manista, Trainee maintenance. And this? This is home." She pulled a lever and the shutters began to open.

"Brace yourselves," Zach warned the three. "The sight of it sends some people mad.

Rose and the Doctors eyes widened. "That's a black hole."

"But that's impossible." The Doctor looked at it then too Zach.

"Does look beautiful though" Rita added. "For a deadly black hole that is"

Zach chipped in. "I did warn you."

"We're standing under a black hole." The Doctor frowned still not understanding how.

"In orbit," Ida told then.

"But we can't be" the Doctor muttered continuing to stare at the black hole before him.

"You can see for yourself. We're in orbit." Ida repeated.

"But we can't be." The Doctor looked over to her telling her this time not muttering to himself.

"This lump of rock is suspended in perpetual geostationary orbit around that black hole without falling in. Discuss."

"And that's bad, yeah?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"Bad doesn't cover it. A black hole's a dead star. It collapses in on itself, in and in and in until the matter's so dense and tight it starts to pull everything else in too." He explained to her. "Nothing in the universe can escape it. Light, gravity, time. Everything just gets pulled inside and crushed."

Rose frowned trying to understand. "So, they can't be in orbit. We should be pulled right in."

"We should be dead." He told her.

"Lovely" Rita muttered.

"And yet here we are, beyond the laws of physics. Welcome on board." She told them.

Rose continued to frown not fully understanding the situation. "But if there's no atmosphere out there, what's that?" She asked.

"Stars breaking up. Gas clouds. We have whole solar systems being ripped apart above our heads, before falling into that thing."

"So, a bit worse than a storm, then." Rose guessed.

"Just a bit," Ida confirmed.

"Just a bit, yeah," Rose repeated the woman before another shake caused them to become unbalanced.

"So deadly black hole and these guys think it would be fun to have a space base under it?" Rita asked.

"Pretty much yeah." The Doctor confirmed.

"Almost as mad as you" she commented smirking at the eye roll he gave her which she deserved.

 _Close door 1._

Toby walked in breathing out a sigh or relief. "The rocket link's fine." He walked over to Zach who called a hologram with the control console.

"That's the black hole," the Doctor, Rose and Rita walked over to him, "officially designated K three seven Gen five."

"In the scriptures of the Falltino, this planet is called Kroptor, the bitter pill. And the black hole is supposed to be a mighty demon. It was tricked into devouring the planet, only to spit it out, because it was poison." Ida explained to the three of them. The Doctor placed on his glasses leaning forward to take a better look.

"The bitter pill. I like that." Rose commented.

"Bitter isn't meant to be nice," Rita informed the blonde.

"We are so far out. Lost in the drifts of the universe. How did you even get here?!" He turned to Zach for an explanation which he gave him.

The hologram switched from the black hole to the rock they were on with a red circle like funnel moving from it. "We flew in. You see, this planet's generating a gravity field. We don't know how. We've no idea. But it's kept in constant balance against the black hole. And the field extends out there as a funnel. A distinct gravity funnel, reaching out into clear space. That was our way in."

"You flew down that thing? Like a rollercoaster." Rose asked.

"Maybe they are madder than you" Rita patted her arm on the Doctors shoulder.

"By rights, the ship should have been torn apart. We lost the Captain, which is what put me in charge."

"You're doing a good job." Ida complimented walking over to one of the consoles.

"Yeah, well, needs must."

"But if that gravity funnel closes, there's no way out," Danny explained.

"We had fun speculating about that." Scooti joked

"Oh, yeah. That's the word. Fun." Danny scoffed hitting her on the head lightly with rolled up paper.

The Doctors brows came together and his eyes scanned the hologram. "But that field would take phenomenal amounts of power. I mean not just big, but off the scale! Can I?" He looked Ida.

"Sure. Help yourself." She picked up a remote walking around the console and handing it to the Doctor while an Ood walked over to Rose handing her a plastic cup.

"Your refreshment." It said holding up the white globe that lit up as it spoke.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks." She took the cup from it. "Thank you. I'm sorry, what was your name?" She asked.

The globe lit up again. "We have no titles. We are as one."

"Er, what are they called?"

"Oh, come on. Where have you been living? Everyone's got one."

"Well, not me, so, what are they?"

"The Ood" Rita explained. "Apparently they're born as a 'basic slave race' born to serve, without orders to follow they just die"

"The Ood?" Rose raised a brow. "What you got slaves?" She looked at Danny

"Don't start. She's like one of that lot. Friends of the Ood." Scooti spoke up rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"Well, maybe I am, yeah. Since when do humans need slaves?"

"But the Ood offer themselves." He protested that nothing was wrong. "Like your friend said if you don't give them orders, they just pine away and die."

Rose turned to the Ood who handed her the drink. "Seriously, you like being ordered about?"

"It is all we crave." It told her.

"Why's that, then?" She questioned it.

"We have nothing else in life."

"Yeah, well, I used to think like that, a long time ago."

"You and me both Rose" Rita gently rubbed her friend's arm.

"There we go." The Doctor stepped back. "Do you see? To generate that gravity field, and the funnel, you'd need a power source with an inverted self-extrapolating reflex of six to the power of six every six seconds."

"Six, six, six, what did you say was on that wall Rose?" She pursed her lips looking at the blonde.

"Welcome to hell" she replied frowning then understanding what the brunette meant. "It has to just be a coincidence though, right Doctor?"

"Well," he drew out the word and paused. "It could be, but it couldn't because it's impossible"

"It took us two years to work that out." Zach looked at the Doctor gobsmacked.

"I'm very good." He told them.

"You just like to rub it in don't you?" Rita asked him.

"Just a bit, yeah" He smirked.

"But that's why we're here. This power source is ten miles below through solid rock. Point Zero. We're drilling down to try and find it." Said Ida.

"It's giving off readings of over ninety stats on the Blazon scale.

"It could revolutionise modern science." Ida thought out loud.

"We could use it to fuel the Empire." The Doctors face darkened.

"Or start a war."

"It's buried beneath us, in the darkness, waiting," Toby said sounding a little terrifying.

"What's your job, chief dramatist?" Rose asked grinning, the Doctor looked at her in the corner of his eye smiling a little at her comment.

Toby didn't answer her question and changed the subject. "Well, whatever it is down there is not a natural phenoma. And this, er, planet once supported life eons ago, before the human race had even learned to walk."

"I saw that lettering written on the wall. Did you do that?" The Doctor asked sounding amazed by what the man had done."

"I copied it from fragments we found unearthed by the drilling, but I can't translate it."

"No, neither can I. And that's saying something." He took his glasses off and placed them in his pocket.

"There was some form of civilisation. They buried something. Now it's reaching out, calling us in."

"And you came." The Doctor smiled at them all.

"Well, how could we not?" Ida asked.

"So, when it comes right down to it, why did you come here? Why did you do that? Why? I'll tell you why. Because it was there. Brilliant." He beamed they looked at him not understanding what he meant. "Excuse me, er, Zach, wasn't it?" He looked over at Zach who nodded.

"That's me."

"Just stand there, because I'm going to hug you." He stepped away from the console slowly walking over to Zach. "Is that all right?"

"I suppose so." He shrugged.

"Careful I'm told there like paper cuts, well... spoilers."

"what is she on about?" Danny looked at Rita most likely concerned for her mental health.

"Oh never mind" She shook her head.

The Doctor opened his arms grinning. "Here we go. Come on, then." The two hug the Doctor grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, human beings. You are amazing! Ha!" He shouted happily. "Thank you." He stepped away returning to beside Rita and Rose.

"Not at all." Zach also returned to where he was before.

"But apart from that, you're completely mad. You should pack your bags, get back in that ship and fly for your lives." He told them.

"You can talk. And how the hell did you get here?" Ida looked between the three of them.

They looked at each other the Doctor scratching his head, Rose her neck and Rita just looking at the floor. "Oh, I've got this er, this ship. It's hard to explain. It just sort of appears." He shrugged at them.

"We can show you, we parked down the corridor from er. Oh, what's it called? Habitation area..." Rose looked at the Doctor to see if he could remember.

"Three." He told her.

Rose nodded. "Three. Three."

"Do you mean storage six?" Zach asked.

"It was a bit of a cupboard, yeah. Storage six. But you said... You said... You said storage five to eight." His eyes widened and he sprinted for the door. He ran down the corridor Rose sprinting after him Rita just behind the blonde.

"What is it? What's wrong?" She shouted following him down the long corridor. _Open door 19. Close door 19._

"Open the door! Come on!" He shouted gritting his teeth and spinning the wheel to open it.

 _Open door 17._ The Doctor continued to run not answering the blonde running just behind him. _Open door 15._ He ran through continuing down the corridor. _Door 16 out of commission._ The computer told him.

"It can't be. It can't be!" He shouted looking through the porthole.

"What's wrong? What is it? Doctor, the TARDIS is in there. What's happened?" Rose asked frantically worried about the Doctor, herself, Rita and the TARDIS

"The TARDIS is gone."


	22. The Impossible Planet - Two

_Door 16 out of commission._ The computer repeated

"The earthquake. This section collapsed." He explained, Rose not believing him tried to give him some hope.

"But it's got to be out there somewhere." She looked through the porthole not seeing anything but rock.

"Look down." He told her. She did so and saw nothing, pitch black nothingness, the Doctor ran back the way they had come passing Rita standing there guilty not knowing what to do or say.

He reached the control room and the Doctor starting speaking fast and practically begging Zach. "The ground gave way. My Tardis must've fallen down right into the heart of the planet. But you've got robot drills heading the same way."

Zach knew what the Doctor was asking and automatically declined. "We can't divert the drilling."

"But I need my ship. It's all I've got. Literally the only thing." He begged Zach.

"Doctor, we've only got the resources to drill one central shaft down to the power source, and that's it. No diversions, no distractions, no exceptions. Your machine is lost. All I can do is offer you a lift if we ever get to leave this place, and that is the end of it." He walked off leaving the control room.

"I'll er, put you on the duty roster. We need someone in the laundry." She walked off not liking the awkward situation she was currently in seeing the anger on the Doctor's face.

 _Open door 1. Close door 1._

"You knew didn't you," He said not looking at Rita who was standing not facing him. He didn't sound angry... he sounded soft and calm.

"Yeah, I did" She slowly nodded.

"And you blame yourself. " He told her already knowing that she was blaming herself. "Don't" He said pausing for a moment. "It's a fixed point that you couldn't have changed, the TARDIS would have just ended up on one of the other 3 storages causing the TARDIS to still be lost." She didn't reply only walking off. He sighed to himself.

"She'll listen, Doctor, she just needs time" Rose whispered looking at the brunette for a moment.

"It's always time" He groaned. "I've trapped you here."

"No, don't worry about me." She told him just before the room slightly shook.

"Okay, we're on a planet that shouldn't exist, under a black hole and no way out. Yeah, I've changed my mind. Start worrying about me." The Doctor pulled her into a hug, he couldn't help but stare at the door Rita exited through compleatly ignoring the room shaking around her.

She felt guilty and wasn't listening to him, Rose said that she would listen and need time, but how much? How long until she'd listen and won't blame herself for them being stuck? She knew that they got out of it alive and back on the TARDIS but she knew what happened next, she knows what happens after the Olympic games and meeting Chloe Webber. She didn't want to say goodbye to Rose they had become such great friends, but she wanted to meet Donna and Martha and see Shakespeare and all those amazing things in the universe that she hadn't seen yet. But could she? Could Rita Stone live with knowing the pain and suffering both the Doctor and Rose Tyler would have to go, though? Best mates dare her even say lovers split apart in two two different universes, never to be seen again.

Of course there was Donna and the Meta-crisis where she would see the blonde again if she was still traveling with the Doctor unless he hated her for not telling him what happened to Rose and allowing it to happen to her, he would probably try and take her back to her universe, if the TARDIS could get to Pete's world then he could take her back to her world.

She sighed sitting inhabitation three alone thinking about the future over and over, what was she going to do? She couldn't change that big of an event in history, but she didn't want to say goodbye to the blonde yet. It was too soon, too early and it terrified her. Doomsday was always an 'episode' Rita could never survive without breaking down. The laughter of the Doctor and Rose joking about Ghostbusters to the tears of the blonde against the wall when separated. She knew this was coming, she always did right back at the very start when the Doctor asked if she wanted to stay with them.

She sat there in silence hearing the Ood in what looked like a kitchen. Rose was getting something to eat and no doubt head her way asking if she wanted anything. She felt like a child sulking over a broken toy, the Doctor told her it wasn't her fault but she couldn't help feel it was. Just as she suspected the blonde walked over her tray still in hand. "Rita do you want anything?" She said softly.

"No I'm fine thanks,relising" Rita said colder than she meant while not looking up at the blonde, Rose worried about the brunette just as much as Rita worried about her. Hearing the footsteps of Rose slowly walk away she breathed out a realising the Doctor was watching Rita, his eyes warm and soft sadly watching her blame herself for the mess they were currently in, why though? She knew they would get out of it alive. So why was she being like this? 

The Doctor and Rose look up at the same time as Ida noticing the lights flickering in habitation three. "Zach? Have we got a problem?" She asked in the wrist-comm.

"No more than usual. Got the Scarlet System burning up. Might be worth a look." He suggested.

Ida looked at them all. "You might want to see this. Moment in history." She told them then opened the shutters allowing the black hole to be viewed and an odd red cloud on the edge being sucked in to the black hole.

"There." She pointed to it, the Doctor and Rose followed her hand, Rita looked up for a moment not needing to know where it was due to already knowing. "On the edge. That red cloud. That used to be the Scarlet System. Home to the Peluchi, a mighty civilisation spanning a billion years, disappearing forever. Their planets and suns consumed." They watched as the last of it was sucked in. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have witnessed its passing."She went to close it but the Doctor stopped her.

"Er, no, could you leave it open? Just for a bit. I won't go mad, I promise."

"How would you know?" He smiled at her a little and she gave in leaving it open. "Scooti, check the lockdown. Jefferson, sign off the airlock seals for me." She ordered opening door 18 and then leaving, Jefferson and Scooti left using doors 17 and 19.

"I've seen films and things, yeah. They say black holes are like gateways to another universe." Rose looked at the Doctor

"Not that one." He told her looking up at the black hole. "It just eats."

"Long way from home." She sighed.

The Doctor looked to the left of the black hole then pointed in the direction. "Go that way, turn right, keep going for er, about, er, five hundred years, and you'll reach the Earth."

Rose took out her phone from a pocket and switched it on then sighed. "No signal. That's the first time we've gone out of range. Mind you, even if I could. What would I tell her?" He didn't reply and just looked at the black hole. "Can you build another Tardis?" She asked.

"They were grown, not built. And with my own planet gone, we're kind of stuck." He pursed his lips.

"Well, it could be worse. This lot said they'd give us a lift." She thought aloud the Doctor looked at her frowning his brows a little.

"And then what?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Find a planet, get a job, live a life, same as the rest of the universe."

The Doctor thought. "I'd have to settle down. Get a house or something. A proper house with, with doors and things." He looked disgusted shriviling up his nose at the thought. "Carpets. Me, living in a house. Now that, that is terrifying."

"You'd have to get a mortgage." She mocked him grinning.

"No." He protested.

"Oh, yes."

"I'm dying. That's it. I'm dying. It is all over." He joked.

"What about me? I'd have to get one, too. I don't know, could be the same one." She mumbled. "We could both, I don't know, share." She looked at him but he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were looking at the other side of the room at the brunette twiddling her thumbs. _Oh Doctor_ Rose thought to herself. She always saw the looks, they didn't even realise they were doing it but she saw it alright, she didn't blame them either. How could she? They were both her best mates and it wasn't like she was with the Doctor or anything she didn't own him sure she liked him a little but she wasn't his to own.

She did, however, feel a slight pang of jealousy. She did know the Doctor first after all. What changed? was it him changing? because he said he was completely the same at Christmas with only a few changes. "Maybe" he mumbled eyes still fixed on the brunette not realising he was not staring at her. He looked away most likely now noticing what he was doing and looked down out of embarrassment. "I promised Jackie I'd always take you back home." He muttered still looking at the floor.

"Everyone leaves home in the end." His head snapped up at her words.

"Not to end up stuck here."

"Yeah, but stuck with you two, that's not so bad." She smiled a little.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Yes." She nodded. Rose's phone than rang, the Doctor and Rose both looked at the phone frowning, she answered the call placing it beside her ear.

"He is awake." A raspy voice on the other end speaks. She threw the phone down and the Doctor looks at her confused.

The Doctor Rose and Rita walked down the stairs towards Danny wanting to know as much about the Ood as they could.

"Evening." The Doctor smiled.

"Only us." Rose told him.

"The mysterious trio. How are you, then? Settling in?" Danny asked.

"Yeah. Sorry, straight to business, the Ood how do they communicate? I mean, with each other." He asked Danny.

"Oh, just empaths. There's a low-level telepathic field connecting them. Not that that does them much good. They're basically a herd race. Like cattle."

"But they're not cattle" Rita pointed out looking at the Ood sitting on benches like school children.

The Doctor looked over to Rita, she seemed better than earlier as if she was 'normal' maybe she was just putting up a show so no one questioned her or repeatedly asked if she was okay? "This telepathic field. Can it pick up messages?" He asked Danny

Rose began to explain. "Because I was having dinner, and one of the Ood said something, well, odd."

"Hmm. An odd Ood." Danny hummed.

"And then I got something else on my er," She looked at the Doctor for help, he slightly nodded at her to go on. "Communicator thing."

"Oh, be fair. We've got whole star systems burning up around us. There's all sorts of stray transmissions. Probably nothing. Look, if there was something wrong, it would show. We monitor the telepathic field. It's the only way to look after them. They're so stupid, they don't even tell us when they're ill."

"They probably don't say because they're not instructed to. To be told every single thing you do then be expected to let you guys know when they're sick and not instructed to tell you is a little different than how they normally live" Rita said to Danny who didn't respond not expecting her to say that with how quiet she had been since the TARDIS' disappeared.

The Doctor smiled at her a little then walked over to the monitor. "Monitor the field. That's this thing?" He asked looking over his shoulder at Danny who nodded. The screen showed the words _Reading basic: 5_

"Yeah. But like I said, it's low-level telepathy. They only register basic five."

"Not basic five" Rita replied not even looking at the screen.

"How would you know that? You haven't even looked at the screen." Danny frowned at her.

"Doctor, is that at basic 30?" She asked ignoring Danny's question.

"Yeah, basic 30" He looked back.

"But they can't. How did you?"

"Not the time to explain that" She replied.

"Doctor, the Ood." Rose looked over the railing above the Ood who now had their heads raised. "What does basic thirty mean?"

"Shouting" Rita replied.

"How do you know all of this?" Danny asked.

"I know things!" Rita shouted knowing that she couldn't ignore his questions forever. "If I know things I might as well tell them!" She lowered her voice no longer able to hide her guilt or pain behind an act anymore. "What's the point if I keep my mouth shut all the time?" She snapped her head over to the Doctor. "The TARDIS is gone because I kept my mouth shut, people have died because I have kept my mouth shut before!" Her fists clenched and she breathed deeply looking down at the ground, eyes burning with guilt, fury and rage.

"Rita" The Doctor slowly walked over to her cautiously. "It's not your fault listen to me, please" He pulled her into a hug resting his head on hers. "Calm down, it's not your fault" he spoke softly and very, very calm.

She breathed deeply. "Something's shouting at them, that's the only secret I can think of at the moment." She spoke through her voice cracking a little.

"That's all we need at this moment" He murmured his chin still on her head.

"But where is it coming from?" Danny asked turning to Rita then seeing how distressed she was at the moment and turned away. A single tear rolled down her cheek. her head resting against the Doctors chest.

"I just don't want to see people die because of something I could have prevented" she mumbled only loud enough for the Doctor to hear.

Danny then looked at Rose. "What did it say to you?"

"Something about the beast in the pit." She answered his question.

"What about your communicator? What did that say?"

"He is awake," said Rose the Ood then stood up there globes lighting up.

"And you will worship him." They said in sync.

"What the hell?" Danny gasped.

The Doctor let go of Rita still standing next to her, he leant on the railing. "He is awake."

"And you will worship him." The Ood repeated.

"Worship who?" He asked getting no reply he questioned them again. "Who's talking to you? Who is it?" he shouted.

"We have to get back," Rita told them.

"No one is leaving until we find out what is happening to the Ood.

"We have to find Scooti," Rita said through gritted teeth whispering to the Doctor. "We have to. go" She said to Danny this time

"No one is going anywhere" Danny spoke calmly his eyes wide and very serious.

"We have to go because I am the only one who knows what happens if we don't!" She shouted in Danny's face. "You might think I don't but I do, I know everything that will happen and you know I do because you watched me do it!" She looked over at the Doctor. "I asked him if the monitor was at basic 30, that wasn't a guess," She told Danny, "I was not guessing at all."

"We are not leaving" He firmly told her.

There was a shake causing everyone to become unbalanced. _Emergency hull breach. Emergency hull breach._ The computer repeated

Danny looked over at Rita. "Which section?"

"Everyone, evacuate eleven to thirteen. We've got a breach. The base is open. Repeat, the base is open" Zach shouted through the comm. They all run from the Ood habitation to habitation three, the base shaking violently causing it hard for them to run. _Open door 19_ The computer spoke as they all ran through _Close door 19._

Zach shouted through the comms and gritted his teeth trying to stop himself from falling to the floor from the base shaking. _"_ I can't contain the oxygen field! We're going to lose it!"

"Come on! Keep moving!" Jefferson shouted holding the door open against the air being sucked out. They ran though and Jefferson pulled Toby in before sutting and sealing the door. _Breach sealed. Breach sealed._

"Everyone all right?!" The Doctor asked looking at Rita and Rose then the rest of the people "What happened? What was it?"

 _Oxygen levels normal._

"Hull breach" Jefferson panted hands on his knees. "We were open to the elements. Another couple of minutes and we'd have been inspecting that black hole at close quarters."

"That wasn't a quake. What caused it?" The Doctor asked

"Something broke" Rita whispered to him and Rose.

"We've got everyone here except Scooti. Scooti, report. Scooti Manista? That's an order. Report." Jefferson spoke into the comm.

"She's all right," Zach reassured them. "I've picked up her biochip. She's in Habitation three. Better go and check if she's not responding. She might be unconscious. How about that, eh? We survived.

 _Not all of us_ Rita thought.

"Habitation three. Come on. I don't often say this, but I think we could all do with a drink. Come on." Jefferson instructed the four of them to follow to find Scooti

The Doctor looked at Toby on the ground looking panicked, he crouched down a little beside him "What happened?"

Toby looked at him and stuttered his words. "I don't. I don't know. I was working and then I can't remember. All that noise. The room was falling apart. There was no air" Rose helped him up comforting the man.

"Come on. Up you get. Come and have some protein one." She rubbed his back walking off with the man.

"Oh, you've gone native." the Doctor scrunched up his nose at her.

"Oi, don't knock it. It's nice. Protein one with just a dash of three."

"You okay?" the Doctor asked Rita walking dow the corridor.

"Better, would be even better off this piece of rock, but it'll do" He nodded in agreement.

They looked around the room not seeing the woman anywhere. "I've checked Habitation four. Can you hear me?" Ida spoke though the comm.

"There's no sign of her. The biochip says she's in the area. Have any of you seen Scooti?"

"No, no, no, I don't think so." Toby shook his head.

"Scooti, please respond. If you can hear this, please respond. Habitation six." Ida begged the woman to answer.

"Nowhere here. Zach? We've got a problem. Scooti's still missing." He told the captain.

"It says Habitation three," Zach told them.

"Yeah, well, that's where I am, and I'm telling you she's not here."

"I know where she is" Rita muttered looking up. The Doctor and Rose followed the brunette's gaze.

Rose then gasped covering her mouth, the woman was dead being sucking into the black hole. "Oh, my God." she managed to breath out.

The rest of the people looked up seeing Scooti inch closer to the black hole. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor watched the woman slowly move closer towards it.

"Captain." Jefferson spoke into the wrist-comm not looking away from the black hole. "Report Officer Scootori Manista PKD, deceased. Forty three K two point one."

Ida walked towards the lever to close the shutters and pulls it to close. "She was twenty. Twenty years old."

"For how should man die better than facing fearful odds? For the ashes of his father and the temples of his Gods." said Jefferson watching the shutters close.

Ida walked over to them holding a hand up for hush. "It's stopped." She listened.

"What was that? What was it?" Rose asked.

"Point Zero, they reached it" Rita answered Rose's question.

"I know what you're thinking" Rita pointed to the Doctor as Ida and the others walked off towards the control room. "Don't be an idiot not that you will listen to me, but be carfull" He grinned at her and Rose frowned.

"What do you mean Rita?"

"He wants to go down, well he will he has too"

"Oh so first you tell me not to be an idiot then you want me to go down?" He raised a brow.

"Never said don't go down, just don't be an idiot I know what you're like" She smirked at him.

"No way" Rose shook her head. "You can't go down there we need you up here"

"Rose he has to go down," Rita told her.

"Rita's right" The Doctor nodded in agreement with the brunette. "Plus you got her she knows what happens here and she says I need to go down so I got to go"

"What happens if he doesn't?" Rose asked turning to Rita.

"I don't know" she shrugged. "All I know is that he has to go down there"

Rose then slowly nodded at Rita, the Doctor walked off to go and find Ida to find where the suits were kept.

"How do you do it" Rose blurted out as they walked off heading to the drilling area knowing that the Doctor would be going there after finding a suit.

"What do you mean?" Rita asked.

"Knowing what will happen and it all"

"I don't" Rita admitted. "I just have to live with it. Some of the things I don't know, like that time the Doctor almost became a king of a planet" She chuckled at the thought of the Doctor in a crown and sitting on a large thrown. "I didn't know that, I don't know everything but a lot of the things I do and honestly it scares the crap out of me but I live through it because I have to" She shrugged not thinking much of it now, believing her meltdown earlier on was pathetic of her. "And sometimes I lose it" She muttered.


	23. The Impossible Planet - Three

"What do you think is down there?" Rita asked Rose wondering what she was currently thinkng while they waited for the Doctor in the drilling area to say goodbye before he went down.

"Oh I don't know what do you think?" She asked.

"What do I know" she corrected grinning. "I think whatever is down there will be fine" she told the blonde who looked quite anxious.

The Doctor walked in wearing an orange spacesuit the same as Ida's. "Capsule established. All systems functioning. The mineshaft is go. Bring systems online now." She shouted to the others.

The Doctor walked up to Zach who groaned a little. "Reporting as a volunteer for the expeditionary force." He told Zach.

"Doctor, this is breaking every single protocol. We don't even know who you are."

"Yeah, but you trust me, don't you? And you can't let Ida go down there on her own. Go on. Look me in the eye." He told Zach sho lookes at him. "Yes you do, I can see it." He explained to Zach. "Trust."

"I should be going down." Zach mumbled.

"The Captain doesn't lead the mission. He stays here, in charge." The Doctor looked at Zach seriously.

"Not much good at it, am I?" He shrugged then turned around talking loudly. "Positions! We're going down in two. Everyone, positions! Mister Jefferson! I want maximum system enhancement."

The Doctor walked over to Rita and Rose grinning looking at the little screen on his suits arm. "Oxygen, nitro balance, gravity. It's ages since I wore one of these."

"I want that spacesuit back in one piece, you got that?"

"And I want you back in one piece, I'm not getting stuck with Rose" she joked. I still don't know why I'm here and I'm going to find out one day"

"Yes, sir and yes sir." he nodded to them both being very serious then placed on his helmet.

"It's funny because people back home think that space travel's going to be all whizzing about and teleports and anti-gravity, but it's not, is it? It's tough." She thought.

"Very tough, but fun, very, very fun" Rose smiled at the brunette, nodded then walked off. _'Where is she going?'_ Rita turned towards the Doctor hiding the confusion on her face with a smile. "Don't be an idiot" she pointed at him lightly poking his chest.

"I'll try not to be" he laughed then pulled her in for a tight hug then pulled away holding her firmly by her shoulders. "Look after her" he spoke quietly.

"I will, until you get back" she smiled.

"Until I get back" he nodded smirking at her. He then let go of her shoulders and walked with her to what looked like a lift where Rose also was stood talking to Ida for a moment, he stepped inside and they both waved at him watching him and Ida slowly move towards the ground.

Rose then walked towards a microphone, Rita followed heading in the same direction of where the blonde went wondering why she had walked off, some things played out differently to how they looked by Rose walking was definitely not something Rita thought she would do.

"You okay?" She asked Rose now leaning against the equipment Rose was standing beside.

"Yeah, why?" She asked looked confused.

"Oh, you just walked off. I didn't know if something was wrong" Rita scratched the back of her head.

Rose thought for a moment then shook her head. "No I'm fine, you said he'll be back so he'll be back" she smiled.

"You have a point" Rita nodded.

"When don't I?" Rose joked chuckling, Rita laughed a little at her comment.

"Ooo we can use this" The brunette picked up the microphone and handed it to Rose who grinned at her. They watched the progress of the Doctor and Ida on the screen in front of them.

"You've gone beyond the oxygen field. You're on your own." Zach informed them.

"Don't forget to breathe. Breathing's good." Rose said shakily in the microphone.

"I don't think he's that much of an idiot Rose" Rita laughed. The corner of the Doctor's lip slightly curved at the comment.

"You two, stay off the comm," Zach ordered.

"No chance" The girls both said in unison high fiving each other.

Rita then took the microphone from Rose "Just try and stop us, Zach, I know you won't"

"How do you know that?" Rose whispered to Rita so Zach wouldn't hear.

"He never stop you" she smiled smugly.

They snap their heads back towards the screen when the base shakes a little and the capsule drops. Rose grabbed the comm from Rita and spoke into it, her voice full of worry. "Doctor? Doctor, are you all right?"

"He should be fine" Rita reassured the blonde rubbing her back a little. "Should be there now"

"Ida, report to me. Doctor?" Zach demanded wanting confirmation obviously not trusting the brunettes word.

"Rita's right, you should listen to her a bit more. We've made it. Getting out of the capsule now." Rita grinned at his comment thankful that at least someone was listening to her.

"What's it like down there?" Rose questioned.

"It's hard to tell. Some sort of cave." He looked around then corrected himself. "Cavern. It's massive."

"It's pretty, Ida your going to love it"

"Well, this should help. Gravity globe." She said to the Doctor, a moment later there was a gasp, "that's... that's. My God, that's beautiful." Ida said in awe.

"Told you" Rita grinned smugly.

"Who's showing off now?" The Doctor asked.

"Since when did I say you showed off?" Rita questioned him.

"All the time, you do!" His voice rose to a higher pitch, Rita laughed at his small quirk. "Rose, you can tell Toby we've found his civilisation." the Doctor informed the blonde.

Rose looked at Toby not noticing the worry he was currently holding in his eyes. "Oi, Toby. Sounds like you've got plenty of work."

"Good, good. Good." He tried to speak calmly hiding his face thinking the symbols were still covering him.

"Concentrate now, people. Keep on the mission." Zach reminded them, Rita rolled her eyes after eyeing the man crouched to the floor. "Ida, what about the power source?" He asked.

"We're close. Energy signature indicates north." She looked at it again. "north-west. Are you getting pictures up there?"

"There's too much interference. We're in your hands."

"Well, we've come this far. There's no turning back." Rita groaned at how literal that is.

"Oh, did you have to? No turning back?" He looked at her. "That's almost as bad as nothing can possibly go wrong, or this is going to be the best Christmas Walford's ever had." He spoke sarcastically.

Ida looked at him a little annoyed. "Are you finished?" She asked.

"Yeah. Finished"

"Captain, sir," Danny spoke into a comm sounding a little frightened. "There's something happening with the Ood."

"What are they doing?" Zach asked him.

"They're staring at me. I've told them to stop, but they won't." Rita looked over at him then ran over to the railing watching the Ood.

"Danny, you're a big boy, I think you can take being stared at." She heard Zach through the comm.

She then ran over to Rose taking the comm from her. "You haven't seen it, Zach, basic one hundred, I'm correct aren't I Danny?" He looked over to the monitor and blinked. "Yeah you are" He then started pressing things on the monitor. "I've checked. there isn't any fault. It's definitely one hundred."

"But that's impossible," Zach muttered.

"What's basic one hundred mean?" Rose asked looking at Rita a little worried.

"The Ood should be dead" She replied.

"Basic one hundred's brain death," Jefferson added.

"But they're safe. They're not actually moving?" Zach asked them.

"No, sir," Danny confirmed.

"Keep watching them. And you, Jefferson, Keep a guard on the Ood." He ordered.

"Officer at arms!" Jefferson ordered a crewman and a woman holding guns beside them.

"You can't fire a gun in here. What if you hit a wall?" Rose questioned.

"I'm firing stock fifteen. It only impacts upon organics. Keep watch. Guard them." He pointed at the Ood.

"Yes, sir." The woman replied.

"Is everything all right up there?" The Doctor spoke through the comm, Rita and Rose both ran over to it and she picked it up. "Yeah, yeah," Rose replied.

"How are things down there?" Rita asked.

"Everythings fine, we've found something though. It looks like metal. Like some sort of seal. I've got a nasty feeling the word might be trapdoor. Not a good word, trapdoor. Never met a trapdoor I liked."

"Shame you can't lick it to find out" She joked, don't even think about it" Rose looked at her strangely. "First the door when we were with Queen Victoria then a portable television, just giving him a warning not to." Rose smiled a little after understanding what she meant.

"The edge is covered with those symbols." Ida described it ignoring Rita's odd comments.

"Do you think it opens?" Zach asked her.

"That's what trapdoors tend to do." The Doctor spoke for her.

"Trapdoor doesn't do it justice. It's massive, Zach. About thirty feet in diameter." She guessed.

"Any way of opening it?"

"I don't know. I can't see any sort of mechanism." She looked around near the door.

"I suppose that's the writing. It'll tell us what to do. The letters that defy translation."

"Oh it will open all right" Rita muttered under her breath.

"Toby, did you get anywhere with decoding it?" Zach questioned not realising that the man wasn't able to hear him on the floor.

"Toby, they need to know that lettering. Does it make any sort of sense?" Rose asked the man sitting on the floor in the same position as earlier.

"Toby, they need to know that lettering. Does it make any sort of sense?"

"I know what it says." His voice now dark, deep and evil, not looking up he replied.

"Then tell them."

"Rose" Rita stepped forward a little beside the blonde.

"When did you work that out?" Jefferson asked.

"It doesn't matter, just tell them."

"He didn't work it out, " Rita told them as Toby looked up covered in the symbols again his eyes red staring up at them.

"These are the words of the Beast. And he has woken. He is the heart that beats in the darkness. He is the blood that will never cease. And now he will rise." He slowly stood up grinning.

"Officer, stand down." He warned. "Stand down!" Jefferson shouted pointing the gun at him.

The Doctor heard the shouting and started to panic. "What is it? What's he done? What's happening? Rose, Rita?!" He shouted, "What's going on?!"

"Jefferson? Report. Report!" Zach screamed through the comms waiting for an answer.

Jefferson ignored Zach concerned with Toby at the moment in time. "Officer, as Commander of Security, I order you to stand down and be confined. Immediately!"

Rose grabbed the comm and started talking fast and scared. "He's come out in those symbols all over his face. They're all over him."

"Mister Jefferson. Tell me, sir. Did your wife ever forgive you?" the Beast that took over Toby asked.

"Ignore it,tighting" Rita told Jefferson.

"I don't know what you mean." Jefferson continued pointing the gun at Toby blocking out the brunette.

"Let me tell you a secret. She never did."

Jefferson tightening his grip on the gun. "Officer, you stand down and be confined."

"Or what?" he laughed.

"Or under the strictures of Condition Red, I am authorised to shoot you."

"That won't stop it!" Rita gritted her teeth. Toby's mouth opened and the symbols left him flaoting over and entering the Ood.

"But how many can you kill? It asked, Toby's mouth opened and the symbols left him floating over and entering the Ood.

The Ood then spoke in sync. "We are the Legion of the Beast."

"Rose? What is it, Rita what is going on!" The Doctor shouted. "Rose? I'm going back up." He turned around.

"Report. Report!" Zach shouted from the control room helpless and trying to understand what was going on.

"It's the Ood." Rose spoke in the comm.

"Sir, we have contamination in the livestock." Danny told Zach through the wrist-comm.

"Doctor, I don't know what it is. It's like they're possessed." She told him.

"Stay with Rita!" He shouted.

She took the comm from the blonde who was slightly shaking. "She isn't going anywhere" Rita promised him.

"They won't listen to us." Jefferson watched the Ood slowly walking over to the stairs, starting to walk them towards the group on the catwalk watching from the railing.

The Ood continued to speak in sync. "He has woven himself in the fabric of your life since the dawn of time. Some may call him Abaddon. Some may call him Kroptor. Some may call him Satan or Lucifer." They reached the group then stopped.

"Captain, it's the Ood. They're out of control!" Danny shouted.

"Or the Bringer of Despair, the Deathless Prince, the Bringer of Night."

"Everyone get back!" Rita shouted at them, one of the globes is released from an Ood's hand flying to a guard's forehead and electrocuted him.

"These are the words that shall set him free."

"Back up to the door!" Jefferson ordered them backing up with the others, Rita took the blonde's hand who was standing beside her knowing how shaken and terrified she was right now, just like herself but it was pointless her looking just as scared, she knew they made it out alive, Rose didn't.

"I shall become manifest."

"Move quickly!" Jefferson shouted at them eyes locked on the Ood.

"I shall walk in might." The Ood continued.

Jefferson saw the door near them then pointed. "To the door! Get it open!"

"My Legions shall swarm across the worlds."

"We're moving! The whole thing's moving. The planet's moving." Rita and Rose heard Zach shouting through Danny's wrist-comm.

"I am the sin and the temptation and the desire. I am the pain and the loss"

"Get that door open!" They were now all backed up against the wall trying everything they could to open the door.

"The gravity field. It's going! We're losing orbit! We're going to fall into the black hole!" Zach screamed.

"I have been imprisoned for eternity. But no more." The Ood were now close to the group still talking in sync with each other.

 _Door sealed._

"Come on!" Rose shouted banging on the door trying to get it open.

 _Door sealed._ The computer repeated.


	24. The Satan Pit

Rose and Rita continued banging on the door trying to force it open. "Open fire!" Jefferson shouted then started firing his gun at the Ood walking towards them. After all of the Ood were killed Rose and Rita ran back to the comm.

"Doctor? Doctor, can you hear me? Doctor, Ida, are you there?" Rose spoke into the comm, there was no reply only a slight buzzing, she looked at Rita who hugged her.

"Don't lose hope" She whispered into the blonde's ear.

 _Open door 25._ Jefferson and the guard spun around holding their guns up ready to shoot. The Door opens and Danny shoots up his hands in the air shouting at them in panic "It's me! But they're coming." He warned them. _Close door 25._ "It's the Ood. They've gone mad."

"How many of them?" Jefferson asked eyes locked on the door behind Danny who was shaking in his shoes. "All of them! All fifty!" Danny's voice shook.

"Danny, out of the way. Out of the way!" Jefferson ordered.

"But they're armed! It's the interface device. I don't know how, but they're using it as a weapon." He protested.

"Don't open that door!" Rita pointed at Jefferson, he looked at her then opened it ignoring her. _Open door 25._ The door opened and the Ood appeared with red eyes staring at the others, the Ood in front takes its globe and it flies sticking to the other guards head kidding her, she screamed then fell to the floor dead, the group watch in horror and Jefferson then starts shooting at the Ood, spraying every bullet at them until they fall to the floor dead.

"Jefferson, what's happening there?" said Zach.

"I've got very little ammunition, sir. How about you?" He asked his captain who groaned "All I've got is a bolt gun. With er, all of one bolt. I could take out a grand total of one Ood. A fat lot of good that is." He spat sarcastically

"Given the emergency, I recommend strategy nine," Jefferson suggested.

Zach paused for a moment not saying anything. "Strategy Nine," He said aloud. "Agreed. Right, we need to get everyone together. Rose, Rita? What about Ida and the Doctor? Any word?" He asked them.

"I can't get a reply. Just nothing. I keep trying, but it's-" She was cut off by a buzz and the Doctor's voice, both the girls sighed in relief.

"No, sorry, I'm fine. Still here."

"You could've said, good job Rita is here to tell me you stupid" Rita lightly stepped on her foot before she could continue, Rose shrieked in a little pain and stared at the brunette deadly, she sheepishly grinned at her stare.

"Whoa. Careful!" The Doctor winced. "Anyway, it's both of us. Me and Ida. Hello. But the seal opened up. It's gone. All we've got left is this chasm."

Zach then spoke up. "How deep is it?"

"Can't tell. It looks like it goes down forever." The Doctor replied to his question.

Rose muttered in thought. "The pit is open." She then raised her voice a little, "that's what the voice said."

"But there's nothing. I mean there's nothing coming out?" Zach asked for confirmation.

"No, no. No sign of the Beast."

"It said Satan," Rose said under her breath not believing what the Ood said.

"Come on, Rose. Keep it together, you too Rita"

"Is there no such thing? Doctor." He didn't reply not knowing what to say. "Doctor, tell me there's no such thing. Rita?" She looked at the brunette who's face was blank and unreadable.

"Ida? I recommend that you withdraw. Immediately."

She began to protest. "But, we've come all this way."

"Okay That was an order. Withdraw. When that thing opened, the whole planet's shifted. One more inch and we fall into the black hole. So this thing stops right now." He demanded her to turn back."

"But it's not much better up there with the Ood."

"I'm initiating strategy: Nine, so I need the two of you back up top immediately, no-" He stopped hearing the comm cut out. "Ida. Ida!" He began to shout.

"What do you think?" She asked the Doctor for his opinion on the subject.

"I think they've an order."

"Yeah, but what do you think?" She repeated not satisfied with his reply.

"It said, I am the temptation." He quoted the beast.

"Well, if there's something in there, why is it still hiding?" Ida inched closer to the pit.

"Maybe we opened the prison but not the cell." The Doctor muttered crouching down.

"We should go down. I'd go. What about you?"

"Oh. Oh, in a second, but then again, that is so human." He started to explain. "Where angels fear to tread. Even now, standing on the edge. It's that feeling you get, eh? Right at the back of your head. That impulse. That strange little impulse. That mad little voice saying, go on. Go on. Go on. Go over. Go on. Maybe it's relying on that." He then thought for a couple of moments looking into the pit. "But I promised her I wasn't going to be an idiot." He muttered. "For once in my life, Officer Scott, I'm going to say retreat. Oh, now I know I'm getting old. Rose, Rita, we're coming back." He said through the comm.

"Best news I've heard all day." Rose smiled breathing out in relief.

"You can say that again" Rita smiled at the blonde. Jefferson then snapped his rifle pointing it at Toby, the smiles on Rita and Roses faces were then wiped off and scolds replaced them.

"What're you doing?" Rose asked moving beside Toby.

"He's infected. He brought that thing on board. You saw it." He stared at Toby then looked at Rose.

"He didn't bring it on board, it was already here, enough people have died we don't need any more dead," Rita told him standing in front of Toby. "You are not going to kill him."

"Are you going to start shooting your own people now, Is that what you're going to do? Is it?" Rose asked.

"If necessary." He told them.

"Well then, you'll have to shoot me if necessary, so what's it going to be?" She stepped beside the brunette who nodded at her. "Look at his face. Whatever it was, is gone. It passed into the Ood. You saw it happen. He's clean." She told him.

"Any sign of trouble, I'll shoot hi," Jefferson promised then walked off towards Danny.

Rose breathed out a long sigh turning to Toby. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," he said then paused telling the truth. "I don't know."

"Can you remember anything?"

He thought for a moment then shivered at what he remembered. "Just, it was so angry. It was fury and rage and death. It was him. It was the devil."

Rose saw the terror and fear in his eyes then gave him a hug. "Come on."

"He won't kill you" Rita knelt down. "Won't let him kill anyone else, enough people have died, we definitely don't need any more dead."

"How do you know he won't?" Toby asked.

"Some things" She paused thinking of the right words. "I just know" he looked at her a little strange then nodded not questioning her further. She left Rose with Toby to calm him down and picked up the comm listening in.

"Okay, we're in. Bring us up." Rita heard Ida through the comms.

"Ascension in three, two, one." He goes to press a button to start to bring them up but the power cuts out.

"Oh good" Rita muttered under her breath. Rose got up then stood beside the brunette.

"This is the darkness. This is my domain." A deep gravily voice speaks through the comm and an image of the Ood with red eyes show on the monitors around the group. "You little things that live in the light, clinging to your feeble suns which die"

"That's not the Ood. Something's talking through them." Zach told them.

"Not someone, something," Rita told them.

"Only the darkness remains." The Voice began to speak again.

"This is Captain Zachary Cross Flane of Sanctuary Base Six, representing the Torchwood archive. You will identify yourself." He ordered it.

"You know my name."

"What do you want?"

"You will die here. All of you. This planet is your grave." Toby began to freak out his eyes frantically moving around the room.

"It's him. It's him. It's him." Toby panted out

The Doctor then cut in feeling that everyone was now starting to panic a little bit more. "If you are the Beast, then answer me this. Which one, hmm? Cos the universe has been busy since you've been gone. There's more religions than there are planets in the sky. The Archiphets, Orkology, Christianity, Pash Pash, New Judaism, San Klah, Church of the Tin Vagabond. Which devil are you?" He asked.

The voice of the beast then replied. "All of them."

"What, then you're the truth behind the myth?"

"This one knows me as I know him. The killer of his own kind." The Doctors eyes widened a little ignoring its statment he questioned it again changing the subject off of himself.

"How did you end up on this rock?"

"The Disciples of the Light rose up against me and chained me in the pit for all eternity." It spat.

"When was this?"

"Before time."

"What does that mean?" The Doctor asked.

"Before time." It repeated once again. The Doctor frowned then repeated the question not satisfied with the answer the beast was giving him.

"What does before time mean?"

"Before light and time and space and matter. Before the cataclysm. Before this universe was created." It finally answered.

"That's impossible. No life could have existed back then."

"Is that your religion?" The beast asked him.

The Doctor paused thinking of a reply. "It's a belief."

"You know nothing. All of you, so small." The beast then began to look inside the group of people bringing out there deepest fears and secrets. "The Captain, so scared of command." "The soldier, haunted by the eyes of his wife." Jefferson then looked around trying to ignore the beasts voice but not able to. "The scientist, still running from Daddy. The little boy who lied. The virgin." The beast stopped for a moment.

"The lost girl, so far away from home. The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon." The beast paused again Rita looked at Rose who was practically shaking staring at nothingness. "And then the one trapped inside, the girl all on her own, tick tock goes the clock Rita Stone." Rita froze eyes fixed on completely nothing, her breathing stopped and her eyes widened in fear.

"Doctor, what does that mean?" Rose shakily spoke into the comm.

"Rose, don't listen." He told her, Rita gripped onto the blonde's arm feeling as if her feet would give way any second.

"Rita?!" She looked at the brunette scared for her life as well as her own. "What does it mean?" She repeated.

"You will die and I will live." The voice of the beast spoke, the images of the Ood then were replaced by a red horned beast roaring and then disappeared just as fast as it came.

"What the hell was that?" Danny gasped jumping back with the others, all exept Rita who was frozen breathing rappidly her eyes almost wide enough to pop out of her own head.

"I had that thing inside my head," Toby said shakily.

"Doctor, what did it mean?" Rose asked. "Rita?" She looked at her concerned about how hard she was gripping onto her arm and how fast her breathing was.

"What do we do? Jefferson?" Danny asked.

"Captain? What's the situation on strategy nine?" Jefferson asked. There was no answer.

"Zach, what do we do?" Danny pleaded for an order, anything to get him to stop thinking about what it said.

Toby began to mutter. "The planet, the orbit, the black hole. Everything's true."

"Captain, report."

"We've lost pictures, Mister Jefferson," Ida informed him.

"It said-" Rita started to mutter between rapid breathing. "All alone- tick tock." She shook her head. "I'm trapped inside..." She squeezed her eyes shut trying to ignore the words repeating themselves over and over in her mind.

"Doctor, how did it know all of that?" Rose begged for a reply, an explanation, anything.

"Jefferson," Zach replied empty and shaking.

"Stop." The Doctor demanded hearing seeing everyone starting to get out of control.

"What did it mean?" Rose asked again.

"Everyone just stop!"

"What do we do?

"Report."

Rita stopped squeezing her eyes, her breathing slowed. _Now is not the time to panic_ She thought hearing the chaos around her. She screamed as loud as she could possibly scream "Everyone shut up!" They all stopped instantly, she let go of Rose's arm. "Sorry Rose had a little bit of a meltdown there, again. Doctor, you wanted to say something?"

"Thank you" he breathed out. "You want voices in the dark. Then listen to mine. That thing is playing on very basic fears. Darkness, childhood nightmares, all that stuff." He said loudly getting them all to listen.

"But that's how the devil works," Danny told him.

"Or a good psychologist." He countered Danny.

"Yeah, but how did it know about my father?" Ida questioned.

The Doctor thought for a moment thinking of what to say. "Okay, but what makes his version of the truth any better than mine, hmm? Cos I'll tell you what I can see. Humans. Brilliant humans. Humans who travel all the way across space, flying in a tiny little rocket. Right into the orbit ofa black hole, just for the sake of discovery. That's amazing!" He gleamed at them. "Do you hear me? Amazing, all of you. The Captain, his Officer, his elders, his juniors, his friends. All with one advantage. The Beast is alone. We are not. If we can use that to fight against him."

There was a loud crash and Rita's eyes widened. "Doctor get out!" She screamed into the comm.

"The cable's snapped!" Ida gasped.

"Get out!" They both ran out the capsule and dived to the ground as miles of steel cable arrived at a harsh speed.

"Doctor, we lost the cable! Doctor, are you all right? Doctor!" Rose frantically asked in the comm. Rita placed a hand, on her should.

"Rose"

"Comms are down," Zach informed them.

"Rita is he all right" she looked at the brunette a tear rolling down her face.

"Doctor? Doctor, can you hear me?" Rose snapped her head to comm again begging for anything to tell her that he was okay after the brunette gave no answer.

"Yeah" she gave the blonde a hug. "Their good" She finally whispered

"I've still got life signs, but we've lost the capsule. There's no way out. They're stuck down there." He told them sighing in the process

"But they're now stuck" she lightly sobbed.

"I know, but the Doctor will find a way, he always does," she told her trying to give some hope to Rose. The blonde sniffed then raised her head.

"But we've got to bring them back."

"They're ten miles down. We haven't got another ten miles of cable." Said Jefferson before snapping his head towards the door after a loud bang filled the room. "Captain? Situation report" his eyes were fixed on the door.

"Guess who" Rita hisses at the door. "The Ood want to get us, you heard the beast, this is our grave, not without a fight from me" Rita spat clenching her fists.

"Yeah, it's the same on door one, they're cutting through the door bolts. They're breaking in."

"Same for us," Rita said not looking at the door.

"How long's it going to take?" Rose asked.

"Well, it's only a basic frame, it should take ten minutes."

"Eight actually Rita corrected him just as another bolt was cut.

"Eight minutes," he said.

"I've got a security frame. It might last a bit longer, but that doesn't help you."

"Right. So we need to stop them, or get out, or both." Rose suggested.

"I'll take both, yeah? But how?" Danny crossed his arms.

"You heard the Doctor. Why do you think that thing cut him off? Cos he was making sense. He was telling you to think your way out of this. Come on! For starters, we need some lights. There's got to be some sort of power somewhere."

"There's nothing I can do. Some Captain, stuck in here, pressing buttons."

"That's what the Doctor meant. Press the right buttons."

"They've gutted the generators." He told her.

"But..." Rita added drawing out the word. "Think Zach"

"But the rocket's got an independent supply. If I could reroute that. Mister Jefferson open the bypass conduits. Override the safety.  
Thank you, Rita"

"Opening bypass conduits, sir." He started to press some buttons on a screen.

"Channelling rocket feed in three, two, one. Power." The lights then flickered back on.

"There we go." Rose grinned.

"Let there be light!" Jefferson beamed.

"Rose what are you thinking?" Rita asked.

"What about that strategy nine things?" She asked.

"Not enough power. It needs a hundred percent." Jefferson shook his head.

"All right, we need a way out. Zach, Mister Jefferson, you start working on that." She ordered. "Toby, what about you?"

"I'm not a soldier. I can't do anything."

"No, you're the archaeologist. What do you know about the pit?" She pushed him on.

"Well, nothing. We can't even translate the language."

"Right." Rose nodded waiting for him to continue.

"Hold on. Maybe."

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"Since that thing was inside my head, it's like the letters made more sense."

Rose then patted his shoulder. "Well, get to work. Anything you can translate, just anything. As for you, Danny boy. You're in charge of the Ood. Any way of stopping them?" She asked.

"Well, I don't know." He shrugged looking at the monitor.

"Then find out. The sooner we get control of the Base, the sooner we can get the Doctor out. Shift."

"Rose Tyler officer of command" Rita hummed. "Very good" she nodded. "You're not going to order me about now are you?" She raised a brow crossing her arms"

"No Rita" she chuckled. "Second in command"

"Second?" Rita scoffed. "If you say so ma'am" she joked giving a salute. "Why did I do that" she then groaned shaking her head, Rose laughed at her patting the brunette's back.

"Well, we've got all this cable, we might as well use it. The drum's disconnected. We could adapt it, feed it through." Ida stood up assessing the damage to the capsule and cable.

"And then what?"

"Abseil into the pit."

"Abseil. Right." He nodded.

"We're running out of air with no way back. It's the only thing we can do. Even if it's the last thing we ever achieve."

"I'll get back. Rita and Rose are up there." He promised.

"Well, maybe the key to that is finding out what's in the pit."

"Well, it's half of a good plan." He nodded his head to the right a little.

"What's the other half?"Ida curiously asked.

"I go down, not you."

"Open junctions five, six, seven. Reroute filters sixteen to twenty-four. Go." Jefferson said to the monitor

Rita and Rose stood beside Danny as he explained about the Ood. "There's all sorts of viruses that could stop the Ood. Trouble is, we haven't got them on board."

"Well, that's handy, listing all the things we haven't got. We haven't got a swimming pool either. Or a Tesco's."

"Please don't remind me of my old job" Rita groaned. "I don't remind you of the shop"

"Which he exploded," She looked down at where the capsule was before heading down. "Careful he might go exploding Tesco's next" She joked grinning slightly.

"Now that's something I would like to see" She crossed her arms leaning closer to the monitor. Which flashed with _affirmative._

"Well then" She patted Danny's back

"Oh, my God. It says yes. I can do it. Hypothetically, if you flip the monitor, broadcast a flare, it can disrupt the telepathy. Brainstorm!" He ecstatically said pressing buttons.

"What happens to the Ood?" Rose asked.

"It'll tank them spark out."

"There we are, then. Do it!"

"No, but I'd have to transmit from the central monitor. We need to go to Ood Habitation." He thought it would be suicide to do so.

"That's what we'll do, then." Rose put some faith in. "Mister Jefferson, sir. Any way out?"

"Just about. There's a network of maintenance tunnels running underneath the base. We should be able to gain access from here." He pointed at a map of the base.

"Ventilation shafts." She nodded.

"Yeah, I appreciate the reference, but there's no ventilation. No air, in fact, at all. They were designed for machines, not life forms."

"Don't go losing hope just yet" Rita shook her head taking the comm. "Zach what can you do?"

"I can manipulate the oxygen field from here. Create discrete pockets of atmosphere. If I control it manually, I can follow you through the network."

"One of the most important roles, not just pressing buttons, after all, keeping us safe and alive, just the way it should be."

"You two wanted me pressing buttons"

"Yeah, We asked for it. Okay, we need to get to Ood Habitation. Work out a route." Rose practically ordered him.

"Right get this open Jefferson" Rita called him over from what he was doing.

"On it" He crouched down and started to work on getting the deck plating off of the floor.

"Danny better work fast," Rita told him. "That door will be down in no time and we are not staying in here when it does"

"Got it" he nodded continuing to type away and press buttons.

"Toby anything?" Rose asked helping Jefferson.

"Not yet"

There was another bang on the door.

"Come on more time" Rita gritted her teeth.

There was another loud bang and sparks flew through the small gap in the door.

"Danny!" Rose shouted for him to hurry up and finish.

"Hold on! Just conforming."

Jefferson pulled up the deck and shouted. "Dan, we got to go now! Come on!" He demanded the man to hurry up.

"Yeah!" He shouted in agreement grabbing an orange computer chip from the machine then ran over to the others by the opened deck.

"Put that in the monitor and it's a bad time to be an Ood." He told them showing the chip.

"In a moment it will be a bad time to be us" Rita hissed feeling the pressure rise.

"We're coming back. Have you got that? We're coming back to this room and we're getting the Doctor out." Rose promised them and herself.

"Okay. Danny, you go first, then you, Miss Tyler and then, Miss Stone, then Toby. I'll go last in defensive position. Now, come on, quick as you can!" Danny wasn't having to be told twice and scrambled to the floor into the tunnel, Rita followed then Rose, Toby and finally Jefferson who pulled the deck back.

"God, it stinks. You all right?" Rose looked at Danny.

Danny snapped a little sarcastically not enjoying the current situation. "Yeah, I'm laughing. Which way do we go?"

"Just go straight ahead. Keep going till I say so."

"Not your best angle, Danny." Rose groaned.

"Oi, stop it."

"I don't know, it could be worse," Toby muttered.

"Don't make me kick you Toby" Rita hissed at his remark. "3 year's of karate, might not remember it all but I know how to kick."

"Okay, okay." He protested.

"Straight on until you find junction seven point one. Keep breathing. I'm feeding you air. I've got you." Zach told them.

"Wasn't going to stop thanks," Rita said under her breath.

"Not the time for sarcasm Rita"

"When is the time Rose?" Rita groaned with how much her hands were aching at the moment. They continued crawling in the tunnel until reaching the point, Danny let Zach know and they all stopped leaning against the walls of the tunnel.

"Okay, I've got you. I'm just aerating the next section." He let them know.

Danny started to complain about the situation, Rita rolled her eyes at his moaning. "Getting kind of cramped, sir. Can't you hurry up?"

"Stop complaining," Jefferson told Danny panting a little.

"Mister Jefferson says stop complaining." She told the message to Danny.

"I heard." He told Rose.

"He heard." She repeated to Danny.

"But the air's getting a bit thin." Toby began to complain.

"He's complaining now."

Jefferson then groaned. "I heard."

Rose then sniffed the air and scrunched up her nose. "Danny, is that you?"

"I'm not exactly happy."

"But you're alive so stop complaining" Rita huffed.

"I'm just moving the air." Zach let them know everything was okay.

"I've got to oxygenate the next section. Now, keep calm or it's going to feel worse."

 _'Not with the Ood now in the tunnels'_ Rita thought just before there was a bang that echoed through the tunnel.

"What was that?" Danny asked

"Mister Jefferson, what was that?"

"What's that noise?" Toby questioned

"Captain, what was that?"

"Oh, ignore the one with the foreknowledge then" Rita huffed. "The Ood got in, habitation five I believe."


	25. The Satan Pit - Two

"Yeah, the junction in Habitation Five's been opened. It must be the Ood they're in the tunnels!" Zach exclaimed through the comm.

"Well, open the gate" Danny started to press up against it waiting for it to open.

"I've got to get the air in!" Zach protested.

"Just open it, sir." He begged for Zach to open the gate.

"Where are they? Are they close?" Rose asked her voice shaking.

"I don't know. I can't tell. I can't see them. The computer doesn't register Ood as proper life forms." Zach desperately tried to get the air in as soon as possible.

"Whose idea was that?" Rose sarcastically asked breathing a little faster due to how thin the air was getting in the tunnel they were in, the others were definitely noticing as well with how fast they all now started to breathe.

"Open the gate!" Danny demanded now pounding on it again, sweat clinging to his forehead and palms due to the enclosed space around him. As if a prayer was answered the gate slid up allowing them to continue Danny scrambled into a mobile position identical to the one before crawling on his hands and knees extremely quickly through where the gate once was.

"Danny, turn left. Immediate left." Danny followed turning the left Zach had pointed out for him, Rose and Rita followed behind with Toby and Jefferson after.

"The Ood, sir. can't you trap them? Cut off the air?" Jefferson suggested to Zach turning his head around slightly to check that the Ood were not behind them.

"Not without cutting off yours," Zach replied through the wrist-comm he then looked at the screen, his eyes growing wide. "Danny, turn right. Go right! Go fast, Dan. They're going to catch up!" He shouted Danny picked up the pace moving as fast as he could not wanting to die from a 'slave race'

"I'll maintain defensive position." Jefferson stopped.

"You can't stop!" Rose protested.

"Jefferson with us now!" Rita shouted ordering him to not stop.

"Miss Stone, Miss Tyler, that's my job. You've got your task, now see to it." He protested risking his own life for the others.

"You heard what he said, now shift." Toby hissed at them both wanting to get away. Jefferson moved to lean against the tunnel watching the others crawl away, the Ood turned the corner and appeared crawling towards him there red eyes pearcing into his. Jefferson braced himself then began to fire at the Ood causing the first few to fall and the ones behind to crawl over the deceaced.

"Eight point two. Open eight point two. Zach!" Danny started to bang on the gate again hearing the gun fire echoing in his head panicking him even more. "Open eight point two!" He screamed again.

"I've got to aerate it," Zach shouted back.

"Open it now!"

"I'm trying."

 **"** Danny, stop it. That's not helping." Rose pulled his arm stopping him from possibly damaging the gate causing it to never open.

"Zach, get it open!" Toby then began to panic.

"Jefferson, I've got to open eight point two by closing eight point one. You've got to get past the junction. Now move. That's an order, now move!" Jefferson pulled out his pistol firing it a couple of times before it clicked empty, he then began to retreat towards the others.

"I'm going to lose oxygen, Jefferson, I can't stop for your dramatics!" He made the quick decision to open the gate allowing Danny, Rose, Rita and Toby through.

"That's it! Come on." Danny started to move again

 **"** Danny, turn left and head for nine point two. That's the last one. Jefferson you've got to move faster. John, move!" Rose turned her head seeing Jefferson moving as fast as he could towards the gate.

"Keep going!" Toby screamed hoping for the man to make it, the gate began to close a moment before he managed to get through.

Jefferson stopped panting at the lack of air. "Regret to inform, sir, I was a bit slow. Not so fast, these days."

"I can't open eight point one, John. Not without losing air for the others." Zach's voice cracked knowing the fate of his friend.

"And quite right too, sir. I think I bought them a little time."

They listened in Rose biting her lip to stop the tears from falling, her head on the brunette's shoulder.

"There's nothing I can do, John," Zach paused. "I'm sorry."

"You've done enough, sir. Made a very good captain under the circumstances. May I ask, if you can't add oxygen to this section, can you speed up the process of its removal?" He made his final request.

"I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"Well, if I might choose the manner of my departure, sir, lack of air seems more natural than, well, let's say death by Ood. I'd appreciate it, sir." He choked a little, Rita slowly rubbed Rose's arm soothingly her eyes looking down saddened, she tried to get him to move.

"God speed, Mister Jefferson." Zach informed him.

"Thank you, sir." Jefferson took his last breath before there were a hiss and Zach saw Jefferson's blip disappear.

"Report Officer John Maynard Jefferson PKD deceased with honours. 43 K two point one."

"Zach, we're at the final junction, nine point two," Danny said softly. "And er, if my respects could be on record. He saved our lives." Danny sadly told Zach a hint of pride for Jefferson in his voice, proud that the man put others before himself.

"Noted. Opening nine point two."

"Wait no!" Rita snapped her head just as the gate began to rise. She was too late the Ood were on the other side.

"Lower nine point two! Hurry, Zach!" Rose screamed backing up seeing the Ood look up at them.

"Back! Back! Back!" Danny ordered.

"We can't go back! The gang point's sealed off. We're stuck." Toby shouted

"Rose the gate!" Rita shouted looking up.

"Come on! Up!" The blonde pushed the deck flooring away scrambling to her feet and climbing out, she helped pull Rita then Danny.

"Come on! Toby, come on!" She shouted at him to hurry up.

He looked at the Ood his eyes now red placing a finger to his lips as if to tell them to be quiet, Toby then grinned at them before looking up his eyes back to 'normal' and his face full of fear. "Help me! Oh, my God. Help me!" He begged Rita and Rose crouched down pulling the man up to safety groaning at how little he was helping himself.

"It's this way" Danny heads into a direction and the rest follow running along the corridor. They ran in 'Ood Habitation' and the Ood surely noticed their presence, they started climbing the stairs deadly globes in hand ready to kill.

"Get it in!" Rose shouted at Danny. "Transmit!" She shouted.

"I'm trying, I'm trying! I'm getting at it." He begins to search his pockets for the chip and the Ood start to gain on the group climbing the stairs.

He pulled the chip out of his pocket and placed it in. "Danny, get that thing transmitting!" Rose ordered. He frantically pressed buttons and the basic reading fallen to zero, the Ood grabbed their heads in pain and Rita and Rose started jumping in the air.

"You did it! We did it!" She laughed hugging Danny then Zach and lastly Rita

"Yes!" Danny screamed, Rose stopped cheering and spoke into the comm.  
"Zach, we did it. The Ood are down. Now we've got to get the Doctor."

"I'm on my way." He informed them.

"Doctor, are you there? Doctor, Ida, can you hear me?" Rose said into the comm.

"Zach ran through to the group. "The comms. are still down." He informed Rose then started to type on what looked like a computer. "I can patch them through the central desk and boost the signal. Just give me a minute."

"What happens now then?" Rita asked.

"I don't know" Rose replied. "We get the Doctor then I don't know"

"Been a long day" Rita chuckled. "It's funny how a good few months ago I was at my boring apartment doing boring things like sitting watching TV but then changing a light bulb I ended up stuck with you two."

"And that's a bad thing?" Rose frowned.

"No way definitely not" She laughed.

"Okay should be back up now" Zack stepped out the way. Rose grabbed the comm again. "Are you there, Doctor?"

"He's gone." Rose's heart sank at Ida's words.

"What do you mean, he's gone?" She asked her voice cracking and her hands shaking.

"He fell into the pit. And I don't know how deep it is. Miles and miles and miles."

"But what do you mean, he fell?"

"I couldn't stop him. Is Rita there with you?" Ida asked.

"I'm here" She took the comm from Rose speaking into it.

"He said both of your names before falling" Zach slowly moved his arm to get the comm not wanting to startle Rita or Rose.

"I'm sorry," Zach said to them both sympathetically. Rita put on a sad smile, there was always the possibility that he wouldn't come back, one small change and she would never see him again, stuck in this universe never finding out why she was brought here, the universe would be defenseless, she saw 'Turn Left' and how bad it became without the Doctor.

Then there was Rose, she would never see her mother again just like the beast said 'the lost girl so far away from home' "Ida? There's no way of reaching you. No cable, no back up. You're ten miles down. We can't get there." He sadly told her the news.

"You should see this place, Zach. It's beautiful. Well, I wanted to discover things, and here I am." Said Ida in awe.

"We've got to abandon the base. I'm declaring this mission unsafe. All we can do is make sure no one ever comes here again."

"But we'll never find out what it was."

 **"** Well, maybe that's best." Zach thought aloud.

"Yeah." Ida agreed her voice cracking a little from knowing she was surely going to die on that piece of rock.

"Officer Scott"

"It's all right." She interrupted knowing what was coming next. "Just go. Good luck."

"And you. Danny, Toby, close down the feed links. Get the retrotropes online, then get to the rocket and strap yourselves in. We're leaving." Zach ordered, Rita looked down at the ground.

"I'm not going." Rose piped up her voice quiet rising in pitch as she tried to stop herself from bursting into tears

"Rose, there's space for you," Zach told her.

"No, I'm going to wait for the Doctor. Just like he waited for me. Rita." She looked at the brunette for help, she shook her head sadly a tear rolling down her cheek, to tell the truth, she didn't know he if survived or not. Things are different and he could not have survived. Her brain told her he could have died but her heart, oh her heart definitely said otherwise even if she didn't realise it herself.

"I'm sorry, but he's dead." Zach interrupted.

"You don't know him." She croaked. "'Cause he's not. I'm telling you, he's not. And even if he was, how could I leave him all on his own, all the way down there? No, I'm going to stay."

"I'm not leaving her, or him" Rita looked up. "She's not staying on her own here waiting for him, no." Rita sobbed. "If she isn't going then neither am I." Rita shook her head standing beside Rose.

"Then I apologise for this. Danny, Toby? Make them secure."  
Danny grabbed Rose and Toby grabbed Rita both of them keeping the girls from moving. "No, no. No! No! No! Let me go! Get off me! I'm not leaving!" Rose screamed. Zach injected them both and instantly passed out.

"I have lost too many people. I am not leaving you two behind. Let's get them on board."

"I'm not going anywhere! Get me out of this thing! Get me out!" Rita heard the screams of the blonde crying helpless and hurt, she left the rocket vibrating and heard the engines taking off, she knew the Doctor was still on the planet and it hurt her not knowing if he was dead or alive.

"And lift off! Whoo!" Zach screamed with joy glad to be somewhat safe. Rita opened her eyes she was sitting beside Rose to the right of her with a wall of the rocket to her left.

She saw Rose's eyes dart for the bolt gun and then lunge for her Rita's eyes widened "Take me back to the planet. Take me back!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Rose!" Rita shouted for her to listen, Rose shook her head squeezing her eyes not wanting to listen to her friend.

"Or what?" Zach looked at her.

"Or I'll shoot." She said hastily not thinking about it.

"Would you, though?" He asked looking back at her. "Would you really? Is that what your Doctor would want? Look Rita is terrified of you" Rose slowly moved her head to see he was indeed right, Rita was pressed up against the rocket wall her eyes wide and her chest rapidly moving up and down showing the fast-paced breathing. Rose dropped the gun slumping back into her seat looked at the brunette saddened and sorry.

"Sorry, but it's too late anyway. Take a look outside. We can't turn back. This is what the Doctor would have wanted. Isn't that right?" The two didn't answer and looked through the small window, they pressed their hands up on the glass trying to get as close to the planet as they could.

"You said he was coming back" Rose mumbled looking down at her feet.

"I don't know Rose, I can't promise everything." She breathed deeply sighing. "Things change, things I see play differently, I surely told you that before." She then explained in more detail. "Anything can change and anything can play out differently. I don't know if he-" She paused. "Whatever happens I just hope you don't hate me"

"Why would I hate you?" She frowned. "You're one of my best mates, one of my closest now. It may have only been a couple of months but seriously Rita, you're one of my closest friends" She couldn't help and smile at the blonde, her kind heart and nature not letting her 'promise' get between them. Rose knew Rita cared for the Doctor just as much as she did herself and she knew she would never break that promise to hurt her friend.

Toby starts to laugh and Danny frowned at him in confusion. "What's the joke?"

"Just, we made it. We escaped. We actually did it."

"Not all of us," Rose muttered glaring at Toby.

"We're not out of it yet. We're still the first people in history to fly away from a black hole. Toby read me the stats." Zach ordered

"Gravity funnel holding, sir. Always holding." he laughed between each word.

"Stats at fifty-three. Funnel stable at sixty-six point five. Hull pressure constant. Smooth as we can, sir, all the way back home. Coordinates set for planet Earth." Toby read the states his laughing dying down just a little.

"Yipee us" Rita coldly muttered.

"It doesn't make sense." Rose started to think. "We escaped, but there's a thousand ways it could've killed us. It could've ripped out the air or, I don't know, burnt us, or anything. But it let us go. Why? Unless it wanted us to escape?"

"Hey, Rose, do us a favour." Toby leant into her. "Shut up. Almost there. We'll be beyond the reach of the black hole in forty, thirty-nine."

"Oi!" Rita went to slap him but Rose pulled her back. "She's actually being clever and you tell her to shut up" Rita pointed at him. "She's been more of a man than you ever have today, she lost a good friend and still kept it together to try and survive and get him back. I don't see you doing that" She snapped at him. The rocket then started to shake.

"What happened? What was that?" Danny looked around the inside of the Rocket trying to see an answer on the monitors.

"What's he doing? What is he doing?" Toby asked.

Zach gritted his teeth trying to control the rocket. "We've lost the funnel. Gravity collapse!"

"What does that mean?" Rose grabbed on to Rita's am and her seat trying to stop herself from shaking.

"We can't escape. We're headed straight for the black hole!" he shouted pulling on the controls.

"It's the planet. The planet's moving. It's falling." Rose shouted.

"Oh my god Rose" Rita pulled the blonde away from Toby. She snapped her head in his direction, Toby was now covered in the symbols again and his eyes were red.

"I am the rage." the deep voice spoke out signalling Toby was no longer himself.

"It's Toby. Zach, do something." She screamed.

"That isn't Toby!" Rita shouted holding Rose.

"And the bile and the ferocity."

"Just do something!" Rose shouted.

"I am the Prince and the Fall and the enemy. I am the sin and the fear and the darkness."

Danny started to panic pushing against the right side of the rocket next to him trying to get away. "It's him! It's him! It's him!"

Zach snapped his head around. "Stay where you are. The ship's not stable!" Toby then started to breathe out fire and the four widened their eyes. "What is he? What the hell is he?"

"I shall never die. The thought of me is forever. In the bleeding hearts of men, in their vanity and obsession and lust"

"Rose get ready!" Rita shouted reaching for the bolt gun Rose threw down beside them both earlier.

"Nothing shall ever destroy me. Nothing!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that" She shot the gun at the glass.

"Go to hell," Rose said darkly unfastening Toby's seatbelt causing him to be sucked out into space, roaring in fury.

"Emergency shield!" Zach gasped.

"We've still lost the gravity funnel. We can't escape the black hole." Zach told them desperately trying to turn the rocket around.

"But we stopped him. That's what the Doctor would've done." Rose looked at Rita who slowly nodded.

"Some victory. We're going in." Zach sarcastically said.

"The planet's lost orbit. It's falling!" He looked back, it then disappeared from the monitor.

"The planet's gone. I'm sorry."

 _'Come on, not today Doctor, not now and not today! We need you, Rose needs you, you promised me you weren't going to be an idiot!'_

"Accelerate. I did my best. But hey! The first human beings to fall inside the black hole. "How about that? History." Zach said before the rocket stopped shaking.

Rita's eyes widened and a huge grin plastered on her face. "Oh my god!" She shouted

"What happened?"

"We're turning. We're turning around. We're turning away!" Zach moved his hands from the control.

There was a buzz and the Doctor's voice started to come through in the rocket. "Sorry about the hijack, Captain. This is the good ship TARDIS. Now, first thing's first. Have you got a Rose Tyler and a Rita Stone on board?"

"I'm here! It's me! Oh, my God. Where are you?" Rose gasped.

"You bloody took your time, idiot"

"Lovely to see you too Rita" He joked. "I'm just towing you home." He informed Zach. "Gravity schmavity. My people practically invented black holes. Well, in fact, they did. In a couple of minutes, we'll be nice and safe. Oh, and Captain? Can we do a swap? Say, if you give me Rose Tyler, I'll give you Ida Scott? How about that?"

"She's alive!" Zach gasped not believing his ears

"Yes. Thank God."

"Yeah! Bit of oxygen starvation, but she should be all right. I couldn't save the Ood. I only had time for one trip. They went down with the planet." He sadly told them.

"Oi, what about me!" Rita interrupted, shouting at him narrowing her eyes at the air. "You forgot about me who do you think I am?"

"Well, you're Rita Stone I think and you called me an idiot." He protested. "But you're definitely coming Rita, I have a promise to keep. Oh, and I would never forget about you! The shouty brunette."

"Shouty brunette." She Says the man who doesn't shut up!" She laughed then tilted her head slightly. "But what promise would that be?" Rita crossed her arms.

"Quite a few actually, finding out about how you are here, Barcelona. Need I go on?"

"No that's enough" She chuckled.

"Ah! Entering clear space. End of the line. Mission. Closed."

Rose opened the TARDIS door entering with a huge grin on her face, Rita followed the same, she leant against the railing as Rose ran up to the Doctor giving him a hug, he lifted her off his feet and she squealed laughing. Rita shook her head slowly walking up to the console then stopping as the Doctor let Rose go.

"Rita Stone" He grinned opening his arms.

"Doctor" She laughed as he then pulled her into a hug.

"You're such an idiot, next time try and find the TARDIS a little quicker" She laughed mumbling a little.

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Where's the fun in- never mind" She shook her head Rose laughed and she joined in. "Glad to be back" She patted the console. "Not queasy anymore?" She raised a brow at the Doctor.

"Not queasy anymore" He nodded in confirmation.

"Now I'm going to get out of this space suit, little hot"

"Suprised it hasn't fallen off" Rita joked reclaiming her normal position cross-legged on the jump seat. "You're too skinny" she shook her head. He rolled his eyes then walked off.

Rose let out a laugh after he walked off. "Too skinny" she repeated through laughter.

"Oh, come on he is!" She shoved the blonde a little who just began to laugh at the brunette even louder. "You're not even denying it!" she pointed. Rita then started to laugh as Rose fell to the floor in laughter the Doctor walked back in with only his suit while he looked confused and a little concerned noticing both of the girls on the floor practically dying of laughter.

"What is so funny?" He asked walking up to the console.

"Rita"

"Rose" Both girls replied at the same time then laughed even more.

The Doctor shook his head then took a microphone on the console "Zach? We'll be off, now. Have a good trip home and the next time you get curious about something." He looked at the girls who had now stopped laughing and were raising their eyes brows at him as if to say 'they won't listen' "Oh, what's the point. You'll just go blundering in. The human race."

"But Doctor, what did you find down there? That creature, what was it?" Ida curiously asked.

"I don't know. Never did decipher that writing. But that's good, Day I know everything? Might as well stop."

"What do you think it was, really?" Rose questioned.

"I think we beat it. That's good enough for me."

"It said I was going to die in battle." She looked at him worry filling her face.

"Then it lied." He said seriously and a little coldly. Rose smiled at him and Rita gulped a little if it was _sort of_ telling the truth about Rose what did it mean about her...

 _'The one trapped inside. The girl all on her own, tick tock goes the clock Rita Stone.'_

She played those words over and over in her mind, nothing she couldn't think of any explanation for it. Maybe it lied? She wasn't from this universe, maybe it truly was trying to scare her? Clocks countdown as well as up, it didn't say what way. _'No it lied_ She thought pushing it to the back of her mind.

The Doctor's cheery voice appeared once again as he spoke into the microphone "Right, onwards, upwards. Ida? See you again, maybe."

"I hope so."

"And thanks, boys!"

"Yeah thank you!" Rita shouted.

"Hang on though, Doctor. You never really said. You three, who are you?" They paused looking at each other thinking of what to say, the Doctor then smiled at the pair and replied.

"Oh, the stuff of legend." He pulled a lever and the beautiful wheezing of the TARDIS began dematerializing the TARDIS and sending them into the vortex as the Rocket holding Zach, Ida and Danny flew back to planet Earth.


	26. Fear Her

**As you can probably guess by the title of this chapter I have decided to skip 'love and monsters' due to how (and in the Doctors words) wibbly wobbly the whole episode is with time and it being unclear of where in the Doctors timeline he actually meets Elton (since he doesn't realise it is him when at the factory/warehouse). I will however be including Blink since its basically in one time and I was able to make two pretty decent chapters (in my opinion) for that episode. So don't worry we will still be seeing the angels ;) Just wanted to clear that up. Also sorry for my mistake with the second part of the satan pit not uploading. and thanks to PychoBaby (RJB) for notifying me about it!**

"Ah." The Doctor hummed looking at the small gap between the TARDIS and the cargo container outside the door. He stepped back closing the door again and Rita looked up from the jump seat frowning.

"Something wrong?" She asked standing up. "I thought we were going somewhere? Rose just went to change" she pointed to the hallway.

"Yeah" he rubbed the back of his neck walking towards the console. "We landed on the wrong planet, turns out we landed somewhere where the air is toxic to humans" he pursed his lips, Rita tilted her head a little giving him a 'do you think I'm stupid?' face.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" She asked him. "All you had to say was that she was facing the wrong way, now you look like an idiot" she chuckled.

"Who's an idiot?" Rose asked a skip in her step as she walked towards them both at the console.

"The TARDIS was facing the wrong way" Rita paused glaring at the Doctor. "Again"

"Lemme guess, air toxic to humans?" Rose raised a brow crossing her arms.

"He used that one on you as well?" She asked looking at Rose then the Doctor.

"Of course he has" she laughed. "Doesn't want to say he was wrong"

"Have you two had enough of being rude now?"

"Nope" Rita shook her head then started to laugh.

"Enough of standing around because that's no fun." The TARDIS wheezed dematerialising and then materialising again. The Doctor ran to the door and opened it. "Ah!" He said much happier this time. They walked out and Rita automatically knew where they were.

"So, near future, yeah?" Rose asked looking at a poster on a wall.

"For you, not for me" Rita crossed her arms. "2012, five years in my past, I was in Cornwall around this time five years ago in my universe."

"What were you there for?" The Doctor asked.

"A holiday, get away from Bath and London, oh the joys of the countryside" Rita muttered. "Windy and very hilly in Cornwall" Rita waved a finger at them following the Doctor.

"Anyways I had a passing fancy of coming here. Only it didn't pass, it stopped." He grinned. They walked down the street and came up to a street of houses, there was a bunting with _'2012 Olympic games'_ written on it. "Thirtieth Olympiad." The Doctor told them both looking up at the sign.

"No way!" Rose gasped. "Why didn't I think of this? That's great."

"Only seems like yesterday a few naked Greek blokes were tossing a discus about, wrestling each other in the sand with crowds stood around baying." The Doctor stopped talking slightly frowing. "No, wait a minute, that was Club Med." Rita let out a snort of laughter. The Doctor glanced at her playfully then continued to talk. "Just in time for the opening doo dah, ceremony, tonight, I thought you'd like that." He looked over to Rose. "Last one they had in London was dynamite. Wembley, 1948. I loved it so much, I went back and watched it all over again. Fella carrying the torch. Lovely chap, what was his name?" He continued to walk down the street oblivious to Rose and Rita stopping, watching a man place a missing person sign then walking off.

"Mark? John? Mark? Legs like pipe cleaners, but strong as a whippet." He mumbled on.

"Doctor," Rose called. The Doctor ignored her continuing down the street.

"And in those days, everybody had a tea party to go to."

"Doctor!" Rose shouted louder this time.

"Did you ever have one of those little cakes with the crunchy ball bearings on top?" He asked Rose then looked at Rita about to ask the same question.

"You should really look at this." She pointed to the sign. Rita nodded in agreement and the Doctor turned around continuing his thought explaining to them.

"Do you know those things? Nobody else in this entire galaxy's ever even bothered to make edible ball bearings. Genius." He glanced at the poster. "What's taking them, do you think? Snatching children from a thoroughly ordinary street like this. Why's it so cold? Is someone reducing the temperature?"

"Might just be you" Rita shrugged. "Anyways enough about your body temperature these posters say that all of these kids went missing this week, little strange" she hummed in thought.

"Why would a person do something like this?" Rose asked.

"What makes you think it's a person?" The Doctor questioned. Rose shrugged a little looking to Rita who shook her head confirming it was not a person doing this. They turned around to hear a front door opening and a woman rushed outside emptying her rubbish then retreated back to the safety of her house. They then glanced around the street only to notice the council van and council men were the only people outside except from the trio.

"Whatever it is, it's got the whole street scared to death. Doctor, what-" she looked round to see the Doctor and Rita not beside her. Groaning she followed them up the street. The Doctor was crouched down beside a front lawn and a goal.

"Rita?"

"You can't ask me everything" she rolled her eyes. "I already told you it isn't human, or were you not listening, again?"

"Oh, I already guessed that" he waved her off.

"But I confirmed it" she countered. The Doctor groaned at Rita's helpfullness and stuck out a hand faced down above the grass.

"Rita try it" he laughed a little she rolled her eyes and placed her hand out feeling nothing she rolled her eyes again. "'Stupid superior Time Lord DNA'" she muttered.

"I heard that" he glared at her playfully then concentrated on his hand again. "Ooo, tickles!" He smiled giggling a little. Rita bit her lip holding in a laugh.

The two jumped up at the voice of a man behind them. "What's your game?"

The Doctor looked at the man then Rita rubbing the back of his neck he began to ramble trying to think of something. "My er. Snakes and Ladders? Quite good at squash. Reasonable. I'm being facetious, aren't I. There's no call for it."

"Clever going, officer" Rita gritted her teeth and the Doctor then caught on.  
"Yeah that's right" he nodded backing away. "I'm, I'm a police officer! That's what I am. I've got a badge and a police car. You don't have to get. I can, I can prove it. Just hold on." He backed up on the street and Rita followed rolling her eyes at him.

"Sorry he gets a little crazy at times, thinks he all, well I don't even know" she shrugged smiling.

"We've had plenty of coppers poking around here, and you don't look or sound like any of them." The man pointed at the Doctors face.

The Doctor noticed Rose and pointed to her. "See, look. I've got a colleague. Lewis."

 _'Lewis? Really, Doctor, any name and the first one you think of is 'Lewis'_ Rita groaned.

"Well, she looks less like a copper than you do. Who ever are you?" He looked at Rita who widened her eyes beginning to panic clearly not thinking it through.

"Training. New recruits. It was either that or hairdressing, so, voila! He shoved the psychic paper in the man's face.

"I'll give you hairdressing in a minute" Rita muttered under her breath. "Chop chop" the Doctor widened his eyes realising what she meant and ran a hand through his hair she smiled smugly satisfied that the threat worked.

"What are you going to do?" A woman stepping out of her house asking them sounding scared and concerned.

"The police have knocked on every door. No clues, no leads, nothing." An older woman told the Doctor.

"Look, kids run off sometimes, all right? That's what they do." The man told her not wanting to see the truth.

"Saw it with me own eyes. Dale Hicks in your garden, playing with your Tommy, and then pfft! Right in front of me, like he was never there. There's no need to look any further than this street. It's right here amongst us."

"Why don't we-" the Doctor started but was cut off. He looked a little shocked. _2012 for you all 'I'm better than you'_ Rita thought to herself.

"Why don't we start with him? There's been all sorts like him in this street, day and night." Another woman pointed at the council man.

"Fixing things up for the Olympics." He protested.

"Yeah, and taking an awful long time about it." She countered.

"I'm of the opinion that all we've got to do is just-"

"You don't. What you just said, that's slander!" The council man shouted.

"I don't care what it is."

"I think we need to just-" The Doctor looked at Rita amd Rose for help but they did nothing.

"I want an apology off her."

"Stop picking on him." The old woman spoke up.

"Yeah, stop picking on me." He repeated.

"And stop pretending to be blind. It's evil!"

"I don't believe in evil." the woman spat.

"Oh no, you just believe in tarmackers with sack loads of kidnapped kiddies in their van." The council man snapped.

Rita groaned. _'Fine if you're going to let it continue any longer I'll make them shut up?'_ She glared at the Doctor, he looked at her in confusion seeing the glare."Stop arguing!" She shouted and they all stopped. "Silence thank god for that." She looked at the Doctor raising a brow waiting for him to speak, he frowned then realised what she was waiting for.

"Oh, oh, right" he nodded. "In the last six days, three of your children have been stolen. Snatched out of thin air, right?" He asked the older woman held up her hand wanting to talk.

"Er, can I?" The Doctor nodded and the older woman began to explain. "Look around you. This was a safe street till it came. It's not a person. I'll say it if no one else will. Maybe you're coppers, maybe you're not. I don't care who you are. Can you please help us?"

She looked at the Doctor begging for help, he wasn't going to deny helping someone. Rose looked up at a window and saw a girl watching them all. One of the women noticed and headed back inside her house. Rose frowned a little and looked at Rita who shrugged back. _'Sorry RoseToo early for a secret.'_ "If I know him, he will definitely help" Rita reassured the woman.

"Oh, what about you two? Hmm?" he looked at Rita and Rose.

"Oh, course we're helping" Rose shook her head.

The elderly woman and the other woman left the street and headed back to their houses. The man narrowed his eyes at the Doctor then also headed back into his house. The Doctor walked back to the front lawn crouching down and placing his hand out again. "Still tickling?" Rita asked crouching down as well.

"Not anymore" he hummed frowning. He started to sniff the air moving around the lawn.

Rose raised a brow. "Want a hanky?"

"He's sniffing the air," Rita told her what he was doing since he wasn't explaining it himself.

"Can you smell it? What does it remind you of?" He asked them. They both sniffed the air and thought.

"Sort of metal?" Rose guessed and the Doctor hummed in response. She smiled in understanding. "Oh."

"But why?" Rita crossed her arms leaning against the wall. "Why metal?"

"I don't know, officer Lewis, Stone shall we go investigate?" He joked placing out an arm out for them both to link with his.

"Where did you get that name from" Rose chuckled linking her arm with his.

"Honestly I don't want to know" Rita laughed also linking her arm.

They walked down the road continuing to sniff the air for the smell of metal. They reached an alleyway. The Doctor then let go of the girls and placed his arm out like he did at the front garden while he walked. "Danny Edwards cycled in one end but never came out the other." Suddenly he stopped gasping a little. "Whoa, there it goes again! Look at the hairs on the back of my manly hairy hand."

"I think I'll pass" Rita commented and the Doctor sent a playful glare at her, she shook her head slowly at him sniffing the air a little, Rose did too.

"And there's that smell. It's like a er, a burnt fuse plug or something."

"You're not wrong there" Rita sniffed some more then scrunched up her nose a little at the smell.

"There's a residual energy in the spots where the kids vanished. Whatever it was, it used an awful lot of power to do this."

"Hmm wish they could have made the wind disappear five years ago" Rita joked following the Doctor back to the street.

"Little bit of wind doesn't hurt."

"Not when you almost get blown face first into mud, that wind was deadly, you wasn't even there Doctor so how would you know" She shook her head.

"Aren't you a beautiful boy?" Rose suddenly cooed noticing a ginger cat on the street, the Doctor beamed not realising she was talking about a cat and not him.

"Thanks! I'm experimenting with backcombing."

"Not you, idiot" Rita shook her head following Rose. "Although the experimenting is paying off" she thoughtfully tilted her head looking at him before turning to watch the cat.

"I used to have one like you." Rose cooed to the cat then turned noticing the disgusted look on the Doctor's face. "What?"

"No, I'm not really a cat person. Once you've been threatened by one in a nun's wimple, it kind of takes the joy out of it."

"One of them ruined my shoes, you don't see me complaining" Rita rolled her eyes at him.

The cat started to walk away heading for a cardboard box. "Come here, puss. What do you want to go in there for?" Rose followed the cat. They heard a distant meow then she looked inside the box to find it empty.

"Doctor! Phew." She waved a hand by her nose scrunching her face and moving away from the box.

The Doctor walked over and picked up the box then leant away from it. "Whoa! Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo. Ion residue. Blimey!"

"God that stinks" Rita gagged. "Smells worse than- never mind not going there" She covered her nose with a hand.

"That takes some doing. Just to snatch a living organism out of space-time. This baby is just like, I'm having some of that. I'm impressed." The Doctor gleamed. "Oh come on the smell isn't that bad Rita you wimp"

"Oi" she lightly hit his arm.

"So the cat's been transported?" Rose tried to understand where it went.

"It can harness huge reserves of ionic power. We need to find the source of that power. Find the source and you will find whatever has taken to stealing children and fluffy animals. See what you can see. Keep them peeled, Lewis."

"And what about me" Rita raised a brow.

"Keep sniffing about, go with Rose if there is something you don't like the smell of come find me."

"On it" She nodded then followed Rose and the Doctor turned in the opposite direction.

Rita walked alongside Rose up the street looking around at the identical houses. "So what's 2012 like?" She asked.

"For most of it, the year was generally okay." She shrugged. "Never really thought anything of it."

"There is that" She chuckled then hearing a light thumping. "What was that?" She turned to Rita who shrugged.

"Sounded like it came from in there" She looked over at a garage. Rose nodded and followed the brunette over.

"Is that you, puss cat? Are you trapped?" Rose whispered moving closer to the garage door, there was another thumping, Rose jolted her head away from the door in surprise and looked at Rita whose eyes flickered to the lock. She slowly began to open in and the big scribble ball flew out knocking both of them down.

The Doctor looked up from where he was and saw the creature. "Stay still!" He sprinted over and pointed his sonic screwdriver at the ball which became hand sized. Rose caught the ball and breathed out a relief.

"Okey dokey?" He helped them up giving them both a hug.

"Didn't plan for it to go like that." Rita breathed out. "Fine through"

"Yeah, cheers." Rose sighed in relief.

"No probs. I'll give you a fiver if you can tell me what the hell it is, because I haven't got the foggiest." He poked the small ball that was in Roses' hands with his sonic screwdriver. Rita opened her mouth to speak. "Not you Rita you have foreknowledge, of course, you know what it is."

"Fair enough" She grinned.

"Well, I can tell you you've just killed it." Rose held it out in her hand.

"It was never living. It's animated by energy. Same energy that's snatching people. That is so dinky!" He tossed it in the air then caught it. "The go anywhere, creature. Fits in your pocket, makes friends, impresses the boss, breaks the ice at parties." He placed it in his pocket. "Let's go find out what it is"

Rita sighed sitting on the jump seat waiting for the Doctor to finish scanning the ball to figure out what it actually was.

"Oh, hi ho, here we go. Let's have a look." The Doctor jumped up heading to the monitor. "Get out of here."

"What's it say?" Rose asked squinting her eyes at the Gallifreyan writing on the screen not able to understand at all what it said.

The Doctor picked up a pencil and the ball rubbing the end with an eraser on it holding it up in the air.

"Graphite" Rita informed her.

"Basically the same material as an HB pencil"

"It is the same" Rita pointed out.

"We were attacked by a pencil scribble?" Rose raised a brow.

"Scribble creature," He corrected her. "Brought into being with ionic energy. Whatever we're dealing with, it can create things as well as take them. But why make a scribble creature?"

"Maybe it was a mistake I mean, you scribble over something when you want to get rid of it, like a, like a drawing. Like a, a child's drawing. You said it was in the street."

"Probably." The Doctor nodded.

"The girl," Rose muttered.

"Of course!" He beamed then frowned. "What girl?"

"While you were busy dealing with the people Rose noticed the girl, Chloe Webber looking out her window"

"Something about her gave me the creeps. Even her own mum looked scared of her."

"Hmm, she did" Rita hummed.

"Are you two deducting?"

"I think we are." Rose grinned.

"Copper's hunch?" He asked grinning with them.

"Permission to follow it up, Sarge?"

"Oh, we don't need his permission" Rita waved back heading for the TARDIS doors. "We're following it up anyway"

"If you say so." He smirked at her the three of them exiting the TARDIS.

"What if she say's no?" Rose asked.

"You said it yourself, she looked scared of her own daughter. Three random strangers turn up going around trying to figure out what's going on, askes to speak to Chloe Webber and her mother who is scared of her daughter declines? She must be mad to say no to help like that" The Doctor walked down the street. "Where did she live?" He asked.

"Follow me" Rose grumbled taking the lead.

"You don't pay much attention at times." Rita shook her head.

"Rude"

"And not ginger" Rita grinned to herself finishing off his own sentence"

"Hey, I said that Christmas day." The Doctor nudged her.

"Well done Sherlock" Rita rolled her eyes walking up to the front door and standing beside Rose who rang the doorbell.

The Door opened and Chloe's mother stood frowning a little noticing they were the three strangers from earlier. "Hello. I'm the Doctor and this is Rita and Rose." They both waved smiling. "Can we see your daughter?"

She instantly replied. "No, you can't."

"Okay. Bye." He replied they turned around to walk off.

"Why? Why do you want to see Chloe?"

The three spun back around and the Doctor answered. "Well, there's some interesting stuff going on in this street, and I just thought. Well, we thought," he pointed at Rita and Rose. "That she might like to give us a hand."

"Sorry to bother you."

"Yeah sorry to ruin your day" Rita chimed in.

"We'll let you get on with things... On your own... Bye again!" He smiled and then turned again starting to walk off.

Trish hesitated then shouted for them to stop. "Wait! Can you help her?" The Doctor turned around and smiled.

"Yes, I can."

"You can come in" She nodded letting them inside.

"I'm Trish" They nodded walking into the living room.

"She stays in her room most of the time. I try talking to her, but it's like trying to speak to a brick wall. She gives me nothing, just asks to be left alone."

"What about Chloe's dad?" Rose asked sitting down on the sofa.

"Chloe's dad died a year ago."

"I'm sorry." Rose looked sympathetically at the woman.

"You wouldn't be if you'd known him." She said sadly.

"Well, let's go and say hi." The Doctor smiled.

"I should check on her first. She might be asleep." Trish tried to stall.

"Why are you afraid of her, Trish?"

She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before replying. "I want you to know before you see her that's she's really a great kid." She looked at the three.

"I'm sure she is." The Doctor smiled.

"She's never been in trouble at school you should see her report from last year. A's and B's." Trish continued reassuring them.

"Can I use your loo?" Rose looked at Trish who nodded, Rose then left and headed upstairs.

"She's in the choir. She's singing in an old folks home. Any mum would be proud. You know I want you to know these things before you see her, Doctor, because right now, she's not herself." Trish looked at him worried.

"He'll find out what's wrong" Rita promised the woman. "If anyone can find out it's him." The Doctor smiled a little at her comment and followed Trish walked into the kitchen.


	27. Fear Her - Two

"All right, there? I'm the Doctor and this is Rita" he gestured over to brunette beside him, both leaning against the family table in the kitchen watching the young girl open the fridge.

"Hello" Rita waved at the girl Who turned to them.

"I'm Chloe Webber." She introduced herself before turning back to the fridge hunting for something.

"How're you doing, Chloe Webber?" The Doctor asked the girl who did not look at all interested.

"I'm busy. I'm making something, aren't I, mum." She snapped her head in her mother's direction who was looking quite terrified at the girl.

"And like I said, she's not been sleeping." She tried to smile at them both.

"But you've been drawing, though. I'm rubbish. Stick men about my limit. Rita's a bit better though"

"Since when have you seen me draw?" The brunette crossed her arms frowning.

"No time for your stories Rita. Chloe can do this, though." He raised his hand and made a Vulcan salute. "Can you do that?" He asked.

"They don't stop moaning." She blurted out.

"Chloe." Trish looked at her daughter unsure of what to do.

"I try to help them, but they don't stop moaning."

"Who don't?" He looked between the mother and daughter.

"We can be together."

Trish moved forward to try and comfort her daughter. "Sweetheart."

However, she jolted away from her "Don't touch me, mum."

"So Chloe" Rita coughed a little. "What you drawing? Can we see them?"

"No"

"Aww not even just a peek. We won't tell anyone" the Doctor pushed on with the topic.

"I'm just going to go find Rose," Rita mumbled leaving the kitchen.

"I'm busy, Doctor," Chloe told him then walked away going to head upstairs.

"Come on, Chloe. Don't be a spoilsport. What's the big project?" "I'm dying to know. What're you making up there?" He asked following her to the stairs.

"Doctor!" Rose and Rita shouted. He snapped his head running up the stairs at top speed, Trish and Chloe behind.

"I'm coming to hurt you..." A deep dark voice echoed in the room. The Doctor ran in shutting the doors.

"Thanks" Rita breathed hunching over.

"No problem" he patted her back then turned to Rose

"Look at it." Rose stuttered going to open the door.

The Doctor held them closed moving slightly between her and the doors. "No, ta." He then moved to look at the other drawings plastered, covering almost every inch of Chloe Webbers wall beside her bed. Drawings all on different coloured paper with people holding different expressions.

"What the hell was that?" Trish looked at Chloe.

"A drawing. The face of a man." Rose told her.

She went to open the doors. "What face?"

"Best not." Rose stepped in the way.

"What've you been drawing?" Trish asked Chloe.

"I drew him yesterday." Chloe looked at her mum like nothing was wrong at all.

"Who?"

"Dad."

Trish knelt down a little to be eye level with her daughter. "Your dad? But he's long gone. Chloe, with all the lovely things in the world, why him?"

"I dream about him, staring at me."

"I thought we were putting him behind us. What's the matter with you?" Trish said sounding a little broken.

"We need to stay together."

"Yes, we do." Trish nodded going to hug her daughter.

Chloe stepped away shaking her head. "No. Not you, us. We need to stay together, and then it'll be all right."

"Trish, the drawings. Have you seen what Chloe's drawings can do?" Rose looked at the woman who looked deeply upset with what her daughter just said.

"Who gave you permission to come into her room? Get out of my house."

"Trish calm down" Rita held up a hand trying to calm the woman.

The Doctors face grew serious. "Tell us about the drawings, Chloe." He calmly said.

Trish shook her head tightening her hands into fists a little. "I don't want to hear any more of this."

"But that drawing of her dad. I heard a voice. He spoke."

"She's not lying, I heard it too Trish, listen the Doctor can help. Let him help." Rita slowly walked towards the woman whose breathing became a little faster than it normally should have been.

"He's dead. And these, they're kid's pictures. Now get out!" She shouted.

"Chloe has a power. And I don't know how, but she used it to take Danny Edwards, Dale Hicks. She's using it to snatch the kids."

"Get out." Trish shouted at Rose.

"Have you seen those drawings move?" Rose asked pointing to them.

"I haven't seen anything." She denied.

"Yes, you have, out of the corner of your eye." The Doctor told her.

"No." she denied again.

"And you dismissed it, because what choice do you have when you see something you can't possibly explain? You dismiss it, right? And if anyone mentions it, you get angry, so it's never spoken of, ever again."

Trish let out a sob. "She's a child."

"You're terrified of her. But there's nowhere to turn to, because who's going to believe the things you see out of the corner of your eye? No one. Except me."

Trish looked at him. "Who are you?"

"I'm help."

Rita rolled her eyes crossing her arms and staring at the Doctor who for some reason started to feast on the Webbers marmalade with his fingers.

"Ahem." He shot his head up at the two girls watching him with what he registered as a 'disappointed' look. Realising what he was doing he placed the jar behind him. "Those pictures, they're alive." Rose said. "She's drawing people and they end up in her pictures."

"Ionic energy. Chloe's harnessing it to steal those kids and place them in some kid of holding pen made up of ionic power." The Doctor explained.

"Transporting them, she said 'they don't stop moaning'" Rita quoted the girl from earlier. "What could that mean."

"And what about the dad from hell in her wardrobe?" Rose suggested.

"How many times do I have to tell you he's dead." Trish snapped at Rose.

"Well, he's got a very loud voice for a dead bloke." Rose snapped back at the woman.

"That 'scribble creature' if that can become alive then what about him?" Rita suggested.

"Was that a secret?" The Doctor raised a brow.

"Possibly, possibly not" Rita shrugged not making this easy.

"But you are right, if living things can become drawings, then maybe drawings can become living things." He nodded explaining. "Chloe's real dad is dead, but not the one who visits her in her nightmares. That dad seems very real. That's the dad she's drawn and he's a heartbeat away from crashing into this world."

"She always got the worst of it when he was alive," Trish muttered in thought.

"Doctor, how can a twelve-year-old girl be doing any of this?"

"She isn't," Rita answered for him.

"Then let's find out what it is." They followed Trish upstairs and she waited by the door. The Doctor opened it and stepped inside, the girl was cross-legged sat on her bed. Her eyes followed the Doctor as he stepped into her room standing in front of the bed watching her just like she was watching him. Continuing to watch him she copied the Vulcan salute he showed her earlier.

"Nice one." He knelt down placing his fingers on her temples placing the girl in some sort of sleep, her eyes creepily rolled up, he layered her on her back on the bed. "There we go."

"I can't let him do this." Trish went to intervein only to be held back by Rita and Rose.

"Shush, it's okay." Rose confronted the woman.

"He knows what he's doing"

"Now we can talk." The Doctor stood up.

"I want Chloe. Wake her up. I want Chloe." It demanded hitting the bed with Chloe's fist.

"Who are you?" The Doctor asked.

"I want Chloe Webber." It repeated ignoring his question.

"What've you done to my little girl?" Trish cried.

"Doctor, what is it?" Rose asked.

The Doctor ignored the questions focusing on what was inside Chloe. "I'm speaking to you, the entity that is using this human child. I request parley in compliance with the Shadow Proclamation." He stated.

"I don't care about shadows or parleys." It said in a loud whisper.

"So what do you care about?" He crouched beside the bed.

"I want my friends." It admitted.

"You're lonely, I know. Identify yourself."

It then started to open up. "I am one of many. I travel with my brothers and sisters. We take an endless journey. A thousand of your lifetimes. But now I am alone. I hate it. It's not fair, and I hate it."

"Name yourself!" He ordered it to stop trying to ignore his questions.

"Isolus."

His eyes widened a little. "You're Isolus. Of course." He nodded.

The Isolus began to draw as Chloe spoke. "Our journey began in the Deep Realms when we were a family."

"What's that?" Trish asked.

"The Isolus Mother, drifting in deep space. See, she jettisons millions of fledgeling spores. Her children. The Isolus are empathic beings of intense emotions, but when they're cast off from their mother, their empathic link, their need for each other, is what sustains them. They need to be together. They cannot be alone."

"Our journey is long."

"The Isolus children travel, each inside a pod. They ride the heat and energy of solar tides. It takes thousands and thousands of years for them to grow up." The Doctor explained.

"Thousands of years just floating through space. Poor things. Don't they go mad with boredom?"

"We play." The Isolus stated.

"You play?" Rose questioned.

"Literally creating worlds" Rita added and the Doctor nodded.

"While they travel, they play games. They use their ionic power to literally create make-believe worlds in which to play."

"In flight entertainment." Rose understood.

"Helps keep them happy. While they're happy, they can feed off each others love. Without it, they're lost." He turned to Chloe. "Why did you come to Earth?"

"We were too close." It pushed the paper aside and began to draw again.

"That's a solar flare from your sun. Would have made a tidal wave of solar energy that scattered the Isolus pods."

"Only I fell to Earth. My brothers and sisters are left up there, and I cannot reach them. So alone."

"Your pod crashed. Where is it?" He asked frowning a little.

"My pod was drawn to heat, and I was drawn to Chloe Webber. She was like me, alone. She needed me, and I her."

"You empathised with her. You wanted to be with her because she was alone like you." The Doctor understood why the Isolus picked Chloe.

"I want my family. It's not fair." It cried hitting the bed again.

"I understand. You want to make a family. But you can't stay in this child. It's wrong. You can't steal any more friends for yourself."

"I am alone."

There was a crash from inside the wardrobe and a red glow around the cracks between it and the wall. Chloe then began to shake.

"I'm coming to hurt you. I'm coming." The voice of the dead father that tried to pull Rita and Rose earlier echoed through the room.

"Trish, how do you calm her?" The Doctor asked.

"What?" She looked at him panicked.

"When she has nightmares, what do you do?" He gritted his teeth.

She began to stutter panicking more and more. "I, I"

"What do you do?" He repeated.

"She sings" Rita spoke up not wanted it to last another second.

"Then start singing." He gestured her to come over and he moved out the way standing behind Rita and Rose.

"Chloe, I'm coming." The father said again.

Trish knelt beside her daughter and began to sing stroking her head to try and calm her. Tears formed in her eyes as she sang the realism of what happened t her daughter hitting her.

"Chloe. Chloe. Chloe. Chloe." The voice mocked in whispers.

Trish continued singing until the wardrobe fell silent and Chloe slept. She clung on to her daughter holding her tight and began to sob. "He came to her because she was lonely. Chloe, I'm sorry."

They left her there for a few moments and then she got up. "The pencils pens, anything she can use to draw with, she cannot go taking any more children," the Doctor told her. Trish nodded and began to collect up all the pens and pencils, Rose began to help and Rita noticed the doll from the episode. Without Trish noticing she picked it up and pulled the head off taking the pencils from inside. They then headed downstairs in the living room.

"Chloe usually got the brunt of his temper when he'd had a drink. The day he crashed the car, I thought we were free. I thought it was over." Trish explained collecting the pens and pencils from downstairs.

"Did you talk to her about it?" Rose asked.

"I didn't want to." She admitted.

"Maybe she did," Rita sadly replied.

"But maybe that's why Chloe feels so alone, because she has all these terrible dreams about her dad, but she can't talk to you about them."

"Her and the Isolus. Two lonely kids who need each other." The Doctor throught aloud.

"And it won't stop, will it, Doctor? It'll just keep pulling kids in."

"It's desperate to be loved. It's used to a pretty big family." He explained.

"How big?" Rose asked.

"Say around four billion?" He guessed.

"Best get looking for that pod then." Rita muttered. The Doctor nodded and headed out. Rita slowed down a little and waited.

"I'll catch up, something I need to do." she told them, the Doctor frowned a little then nodded understanding it was probably one of her 'secrets'

After they left Rita stood beside the front door leaning on the wall she noticed Chloe looking out her window but not noticing her. The girl quietly headed down the stairs and opened the front door and went to head out.

"No way" Rita shook her head moving from beside the door to block the exit. "You are going no where." she pointed to inside the house whispering so Trish didn't hear. "You will be back with your family soon, go inside and wait, the Doctor will help. Chloe turned around without a word quietly shutting the door. Rita nodded to herself then ran down the street heading to the TARDIS.

"Sorry I'm back" Rita walked in to the TARDIS walking round the console to the Doctor and Rose.

"You took your time" he looked up from what he was making.

"Things to change" she grinned. "Everythings fine now though."

"You knew the Isolus was lonely before it told you. How?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"I know what it's like to travel a long way on your own. Give me the styner-magnetic." Rose looked at him as if to say 'what?'

"Left hand" Rita informed.

Rose handed him what she was holding placing it where he told her. Rose then muttered. "Sounds like you're on its side."

"I sympathise, that's all."

"The Isolus has caused a lot of pain for these people." Rose protested.

"It's a child." He looked at her. "That's why it went to Chloe. Two lonely mixed up kids."

"Feels to me like a temper tantrum because it can't get its own way." She muttered back.

"It's scared. Come on, you were a kid once." He said with a higher pitch than normal. "Binary dot." He asked and she handed it to him.

"Yes, and I know what kids can be like. Right little," she paused. "terrors."

"Just because one of them is like that doesn't mean they're all" Rita pipped up.

"Gum." The Doctor held out his hand, both the girls shrivelled up their faces before Rose spat out her chewing gum.

"I've got cousins." She began again. "Kids can't have it all their own way. That's part of being a family."

"What about trying to understand them?" He asked.

"Easy for you to say. You don't have kids."

"Neither do you" Rita countered.

"I was a dad once." The Doctor mumbled quietly.

Rose paused. "What did you say?" Rita just scratched the back of her neck not wanting to say anything knowing how hard it was on the Doctor.

The Doctor didn't reply placing the gum inside what he had made sticking the top on with Rose's gum. "I think we're there." He changed the subject. "Fear, loneliness. They're the big ones. Some of the most terrible acts ever committed have been inspired by them. We're not dealing with something that wants to conquer or destroy. There's a lot of things you need to get across this universe. Warp drive, wormhole refractors. You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold." He smiled. Rose held out her hand pointing to the monitor he took her hand and she began to laugh.

"No, Look, I'm pointing, what about Rita?" She asked noticing the brunette just standing there"

"Oh she can hold hands as well if she wants" he laughed then saw the scanner showing a flashing light. "It's the pod! It is in the street. Everything's coming up Doctor." He ran to get his long brown coat. Rita and Rose followed exiting the TARDIS. Rose still trying to understand what he had said earlier.

Rose and Rita walked ahead of the Doctor, Rita wanting to get back to the house and keep an eye on the girl more than anything while the Doctor would be finding the pod. "Okay. It's about two inches across. Dull grey, like a gull's egg. Very light." He described the pod to them fixing his coat.  
"So these pods they travel from sun to sun using heat, yeah? So it's not all about love and stuff. Doesn't the pod just need heat?" She asked. There was no reply and a smash on the ground. The two spun around and saw the TARDIS and the Doctor were no longer there.  
"Doctor!" Rose shouted staring at the broken glass.


	28. Fear Her - Three

"No, no, no!" Rita shouted running to where the TARDIS was a moment again. "But I took them all, all of them!" She shouted then looked at the blonde who was looking very worried. "Come on!" She ran heading in the direction of the Webber house. "I thought I took them all" she ran a hand through her own hair as they ran. "Things change, guess that was something not even I could stop" they arrived at the house and Rose pounded her hand frantically on the door. Trish opened it looking confused at the worry and anger on their faces.

The two head straight upstairs and Trish tried to reassure them both: "It's okay. I've taken all the pencils off her."

They headed into her room and Rose grabbed the drawing from the girl holding it up. Rita looked over her shoulder to see the Doctor and the TARDIS on the piece of paper.

"Leave me alone. I want to be with Chloe Webber. I love Chloe Webber." The Iolus demanded.

"Bring him back, now." Rose firmly told it.

"No." It said coldly with no emotion only wanting one thing.

"Don't you realise what you've done? He was the only one who could help you. Now bring him back!" She shouted. Rita stared at the girl narrowing her eyes.

"I warned you." She hissed her eyes darkening. "I told you he could help you, to stay and wait for him to help!" Rita snapped sending a violent shiver through Trish and Rose's bodies, sure it was understandable for Trish to be slightly terrified. However for Rose, this was something she hadn't seen from the brunette before, her hazel eyes became cold and dark showing the fire inside, burning through as anger while mentally shooting daggers at the Isolus in the twelve-year-olds body.

"Leave me alone! I love Chloe Webber!" It shouted at them ignoring and not looking at all scared by Rita. Why should it? It most likely had witnessed horrible things, a 19-year-old human was nothing compared to the things it no doubt seen traveling the universe.

"I know. I know." Rose muttered not realising she was gripping the girl's shoulders tightly she let go then looked at the drawing holding on to it. Rita held on as well sadly looking at it. Her eyes looking down hurt and lost "Doctor, if you can hear me, we're going to get you out of there. We'll find the pod." She looked at Rita who nodded. Rose then turned to Trish. "Don't leave her alone, no matter what."

They ran out the room. "Don't" Rita pointed at her emphasising how important it was, she then left following Rose.

The looked around the street. "Heat. They travel on heat." Rose muttered more to herself than to Rita.

"Look at this finish. Smooth as a baby's bottom. Not a bump or a lump." The council man saw the girls and beamed at them about his work.

"Kel, was there anything in this street in the last few days giving off a lot of heat?" Rose asked.

He ignored her and countinued on about his 'masterpiece' "I mean, you can eat your dinner off this. Beautiful. So you tell me why the other one's got a lump in it when I gave it the same love and craftsmanship as I did this one."

"Well, when you've worked it out, put it in a big book about tarmacking," She sarcastically replied then pressed on with the matter at hand. "But before you do that, think back six days."

"Six days. When I was laying this the first time round."

"What?" Rose frowned wanting him to go on further and explain.

"Well, that's when I filled in this pothole for the first time." He replied not understanding what was so important about it.

"Six days ago." Rose double checked then looked at Rita.

"Yeah."

"Hot fresh tar." She beamed at Rita.

"Blended to a secret council recipe."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Rita raised a brow, Rose looked at her smugly smiling, they figured it out both nodded then sprinted towards Kel's council van.

"I don't keep it in the van!" he shouted thinking they wanted his secret recipy as if they cared about it. Rita threw open the door and jumped inside then began to pass items to Rose, she threw them on the floor. "Hey, that's a council van. Out." He ordered. Rita found a pickaxe and beamed.

"Don't know why there is one of these in here but I don't care!" She laughed jumping out the van and handing it to Rose before grabbing another identical to the first. "This is more like it, actually we only need one" She threw it back in the van and ran off back to Rose following her towards the filled in pothole passing Kel who was storming up to the van.

Rose then held the axe over her shoulder ready to swing. "Whoa, wait, wait, wait. You just removed a council axe from a council van." He started to rant on. "Put it back. No, don't, wait. Put the axe back in the van. That's my van. Give me the axe. No! Wait! No!" He pleaded as Rose then swung the axe causing it to collide with the pothole.

"No! You, stop!" He jumped in the way before she swung again. "You just took a council axe from a council van and now you're digging up a council road! I'm reporting you to the council!"

Rita took the axe from Rose and was about to swing. "In a minute there won't be a councilman to own a council van to report anything to the bloody council!" She shouted. "Now get out of my way!" He stuttered Rita then swung the axe and he jumped out the way before it hit the pothole again, she repeated this a few times before crouching down to the ground with Rose on her hands and knees moving the rubble out of the way. Rose found the tiny pod just like the Doctor had described to them earlier.

"It went for the hottest thing in the street. Your tar." Rose looked up holding the ship between her hands like it was the most precious thing.

"What is it?" Kel asked.

"It's a spaceship."

"Isolus spaceship to be exact" Rita informed him not that he had any idea what that meant.

"Not a council spaceship, I'm afraid. Come on Rita!" Rose ran to Trish's house spaceship in hand with Rita behind her, they burst into the living room. "I've found it! I don't know what to do with it, but maybe the Isolus will just hop on board." Trish was sitting watching the TV showing the Olympic stadium. "Hang on, I told you not to leave her."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Rita shouted then watched the TV seeing all of the people occupying the stands and everything in the area vanish in a blink of an eye.

Kel followed starting to rant about his precious council road again. "I don't care if you've got Snow White and the Seven Dwarves buried under there, you don't go digging up-"

"Shut up and look!" Rose pointed to the TV

"The crowd has vanished! Er, they're gone. Everyone has gone. Thousands of people have just gone. Right in front of my eyes. It's impossible. Bob, can we join you in the box? Bob? Not you too, Bob?" The man on the TV spoke.

"The stadium won't be enough. The Isolus has four billion brothers and sisters." Rose stated.

They sprinted up the stairs and Rose handed the pod to Rita then attempted to open the door.

"Chloe? Chloe, it's Rose!" She shouted, violently trying to open the door somehow. "Open the door!" She demanded. "We found your ship. We can send you home." Rose told the Isolus begging for it to open the door.

"Chloe?" Trish cried out.

"Open up" Rose shouted.

"Rose the axe!" Rita looked at it than her.

"Right, stand back." The blonde demanded throwing it over her shoulder. She throw the axe into the door causing it to crack, then again and again before a gap was made, shoving her hand through the gap she pushed the chair and opened the door.

"Chloe!" Rose shouted stepping closer to the girl she jumped back at the voice of the girl's dad.

"I'm coming to hurt you. I'm coming."

"I've got to stop her."

"If you stop Chloe Webber, I will let him out. We will let him out together. I cannot be alone. It's not fair." The Isolus stated.

Rita held out her hand with the pod. "Look, We have your pod," Rose told it.

"The pod is dead."

"It only needs heat," Rose told her.

"It needs more than heat." The Isolus continued to scribble on the wall drawing the Earth.

"What, then?"

"I'm not being funny or nothing, but that picture just moved." Kel interrupted pointing to the wall. "And that one!" He pointed to the drawing of the Doctor. Rose picked it up staring at it.

"She didn't draw that, he did. But it needs more than heat, Doctor." She cried looking at the Doctor pointing at the Olympic torch.

"But that's what it is," Rita told the blonde.

"Is still on its way. I suppose it's much more than a torch now, it's a beacon. It's a beacon of _hope_ and _fortitude_ and _courage_. And it's a beacon of _love_." The man on the computer showing the torch bearer running down the street.

" _Love_." Both Rose and Rita said at the same time.

"We know how to charge up the pod." Rose ran out of the room with Rita running down the stairs and out the front door.

"We have to get it in the torch!" Rita followed Rose pushing through the crowd.

"Sorry, you'll have to watch from here." The policeman stopped them.

"No, I've got to get closer." Rose protested trying to move forward to get closer to the torch.

"No way." He told them.

"We can stop this from happening!" Rose shouted. Rita pulled her back away knowing that there was nothing to get him to move. "What do we do now" she looked at the brunette beside her, there was a warm feeling in her hand and she held it out.

"I think it wants to go home" Rita smiled showing the pod to her friend.

"You felt it, didn't you?" Rose whispered to the pod: "Feel the _love_." Her and Rita then launched it into the air and watched it fly into the flame. They jumped out and down screaming and shouting, hugging each other and laughing.

"Yes!" Rose cheered.

"You did it!" Kel laughed hugging them both then frowned. "What was it you did?"

"We just saved planet Earth" Rita grinned then turned around and saw all the children reappearing. "They're all coming back"

Rose's face fell not seeing the Doctor anywhere. "Doctor."

The elderly woman that had told them at the start came over happy and buzzing. "I don't know who you two are, or what you did, but thank you, darlings!" She hugged them and they both smiled at her. "And thank that man for me too."

"Where is he? He should be here" She looked at Rita who didn't answer and turned running off towards Trish's house. " All the drawings have come to life. That means all of them. Oh, no." Rose looked at Chloe's bedroom and saw the glow. She ran to the door which closed just before she got there. Rita managed to get inside.

"Rita!" She screamed banging on the door. "Trish, get out!" She saw them inside.

Trish tried to open the door which wasn't moving, there was a bright red glow coming from upstairs. "I can't! The door's stuck!"

"Is the Doctor in there?" Rose frantically asked.

"I don't think so." She replied.

"He's not here, Rose he's safe" Rita reassured her.

"Mummy." Chloe cried out for her mum. Rita stood in front of them.

"Chloe, I'm coming to hurt you." The father's voice echoed.

"Please, dad. No more." Chloe cried out sinking to the floor with her mother both crying/

"Chloe"

"Chloe, listen to me. It isn't real like the others. It's just energy left over by the Isolus, but you can get rid of it." Rose shouted.

"Help us!" Trish cried out.

"It's because you're scared of him!" Rita shouted. "He is not real, just energy left over."

"Mummy!" Chloe cried out.

"You can do it, Chloe!" Rose tried to give the child hope to fight it off.

"I can't!" She shook her head.

"Chloe, I'm coming." his voice echoed through the house sending a little fear to even Rita now.

"I can't! I can't!"

"I'm coming." He said again the voice getting louder.

"I can't." She repeated.

"I'm coming."

"Mummy." She cried out pushing herself against the door as far away from him as possible.

"I'm with you, Chloe. You're not alone. You'll never be alone again." Her mother cried holding her daughter's hand.

"Sing" Rita shouted stepping beside them. "You have to!"

"Chloe you need to sing!" Rose shouted banging on the door.

"I'm coming to hurt you. Chloe!" The two began to sing and the red light grew darker and faded away the voice cried out and then ceased no more.

The door opened and Rose rushed in pulling Rita into a hug. "Oh my god!" She shouted. "He would have killed me!" She hugged the brunette tighter who then began to laugh.

"Who would have?" Rita questioned raising a brow.

"The Doctor of course!" She hugged her again. "Where is he..." She muttered quietly.

Rita shook her head and they walked outside slumping themselves down in front of the door.

Kel walked up to them and tried to give them a little hope. "Maybe he's gone somewhere." He looked sadly at them.

"Who's going to hold his hand now?" Rose mumbled glancing at Rita for a moment. They sighed and stood up walking into the living room where Trish and Chloe were watching the stadium with all of the people returned. The commentator spoke happily not understanding what had happened but not caring because the Olympic games were back on.

Rose looked at the TV sadly muttering: "Eighty thousand people, so where's the Doctor?" _She needs him._ The blonde thought to herself. Rita began to chuckle as the commentator mentioned about the torch bearer who had now collapsed, speaking about a man who picked it up and ran, just like he always did, what he always would do the one thing he did best. Run. Rose looked confused but then grinned seeing him there running the Doctor running up the stairs to start the Olympic games.

It was now dark, Rita and Rose walked down the street waiting for the Doctor to appear, just like he always did. They were eating cakes and started to laugh noticing it had the decorations the Doctor was completely fascinated by earlier that day. Rita tapped Rose's arm seeing the Doctor walking down the street in front of them not noticing they were behind. "Cake?" They both said at the same time Rose holding out a cake similar to the one they had both eaten.

The Doctor turned around and started to laugh walking over to them, he took the cake and plunged into it laughing away. "Top banana. Mmm. I can't stress this enough. Ball bearings you can eat, masterpiece!" He grinned, they both laughed and hugged him happy that he was back.

"We thought we lost you," Rose muttered as they let him go and walked along side him.

"Nah. Not on a night like this. This is a night for lost things being found. Come on." He dragged them along finishing the cake and linking his arms with theirs.

"What now?" Rose asked.

"I want to go to the Games. It's what we came for."

"Maybe something different happens" Rita chuckled humming.

"Go on, give us a clue. Which events do we do well in?" Rose asked.

"Well, I will tell you this. Papua New Guinea surprises everyone in the shot put."

"Different to what I saw then" Rita laughed.

"Really? You're joking, aren't you?" The Doctor just laughed walking along not answering her question. "Doctor, are you serious or are you joking?"

"Wait and see." He told her. They looked up after hearing a bang and saw fireworks lightening the sky. They walked in silence just enjoying each others company before Rose spoke up.

"You know what? They keep on trying to split us up, but they never ever will." She beamed at them both and Rita forced a smile knowing what was coming next.

"Never say never ever." The Doctor told the blonde.

"Nah" She shrugged it off. "We'll always be okay, you, Rita and me. Don't you reckon, Doctor?" He looked up not answering, slight fear in his eyes, Rita gulped a little and swiftly moved her arm moving her hand to his and gently squeezing.

"There's something in the air. Something coming." He continued to look up, Rita could swear that he pulled her just a tiny bit closer but then assumed he didn't.

"What?" Rose asked sounding slightly terrified.

"A storm's approaching."


	29. Army of Ghosts

The TARDIS materialised and the three stepped out Rose carrying a large rucksack. "Do you seriously need all of that stuff?" Rita laughed watching her friend struggle with the bag.

"Yeah I do" She groaned heaving it onto her back. The Doctor laughed and they followed Rose to her mothers flat. The sun was surprisingly shining and it was quite warm.

"Doctor you might want to brace yourself" Rita laughed as Rose opened the door announcing that they were back. The Doctor looked at her raising a brow as Jackie Tyler ran out the kitchen beaming at them.

"Oh, I don't know why you bother with that phone. You never use it!"

"Shut up, come here!" Rose opened her arms for her mother who accepted the embrace hugging her daughter tightly.

"Oh, I love you!" She smiled squeezing Rose possibly to death.

"I love you!" Rose beamed.

"I love you so much!" Jackie said back, the Doctor attempted to make his way past but was pulled back by Jackie "Oh no, you don't. Come here!" She pulled the Doctor by his face and gave him a kiss, something he was most definitely not expecting or liking. "Oh, you lovely big fella! Oh, you're all mine." She squeezed him. He stood there stuck, trying to escape.

"Just, just, just put me down!" He begged. She let him go and he walked off a look of horror on his face. Rita laughed and Jackie looked at her. Rita held out her hands in defence and cried out: "Just a hug will do!" Jackie laughed and hugged the brunette. She then let her go and Rita followed standing beside the Doctor.

Rose removed the bag from her back and placed it in her mothers arms. "I've got loads of washing for you. And I got you this." She reached into her pocket and brought out the gift she had brought for her mother. "It's from the market on this asteroid bazaar. It's made of, er," She tried to think. "What's it called?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Bazoolium." The Doctor reminded her and she nodded turning back to her mother.

"Bazoolium. When it gets cold, yeah, it means it's going to rain. When it's hot, it's going to be sunny. You can use it to tell the weather." She grinned.

"I've got a surprise for you and all." Jackie grinned back and Rose's face fell a little.

"Oh, I get her bazoolium, she doesn't even say thanks." She said over her shoulder to Rita and the Doctor.

"Guess who's coming to visit?" Jackie beamed looking at her watch. "You're just in time. He'll be here at ten past. Who do you think it is?" She asked.

"I don't know." Rose shrugged.

"Oh go on, guess." Jackie pressed on.

"No, I hate guessing. Just tell me."

"It's your granddad. Granddad Prentice. He's on his way any minute, Right, cup of tea!" Jackie walked into the kitchen and Rose looked at her mother confused.

"She's gone mad." She muttered and the Doctor and Rita walked up standing next to Rose.

"Tell me something new."

"Rude" Rita pointed at him. "And still not ginger, you know you always could just dye your hair, never thought of that?" She placed a hand to her chin. "Would look a little odd though" She chuckled and the Doctor rolled his eyes.

Rose continued to frown staring into the kitchen. "Granddad Prentice, that's her dad. But he died, like, ten years ago." She widened her eyes. "Oh, my God. She's lost it. Mum? What you just said about granddad." She walked off.

"Dye my hair? Really" He raised a brow at Rita.

"Oh shut up" She playfully swatted his arm walking into the kitchen after Rose.

Jackie looked at the watch on her arm again then smiled up at Rose. "Any second now."

Rose looked at her mum sadly. "But he passed away. His heart gave out. Do you remember that?" She spoke softly not wanting to hurt her mother's feelings.

Jackie nodded. "Of Course I do."

"Then how can he come back?" Rose asked her.

"Why don't you ask him yourself? Ten past. Here he comes." She smiled. A human like shape then walked through the wall and stood next to Jackie.

"Here we are, then. Dad, say hello to Rose. Ain't she grown?" Rita, Rose and the Doctor looked like they had just seen a ghost. (which they Ironically had sort of)

The three ran out the block of flats and look around seeing the 'ghosts' everywhere.

"They're everywhere!" the Doctor said in horror frantically looking around him. Rose then saw one of the 'ghosts' behind the Doctor and tried to warn him to get out of the way. "Doctor, look out!" She shouted as one of them passed through him, something that looked very uncomfortable. The people at the power estate didn't look alarmed or scared, they sort of welcomed the ghosts.

"They haven't got long. Midday shift only lasts a couple of minutes. They're about to fade." Jackie informed them as the Doctor shook the horrible feeling off.

"What do you mean, shift? Since when did ghosts have shifts? Since when did shifts have ghosts? What's going on?" He asked looking at Jackie with his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Oh, he's not happy when I know more than him, is he?"

"Bit of the opposite with Rita if you think about it" Rose mumbled scratching her neck, Rita looked at her frowning. "What?"

"But no one's running or screaming or freaking out." The Doctor interrupted the conversation pointing out what was exactly going on.

Jackie looked at him. "Why should we? Here we go. Twelve minutes past." She informed them and the ghosts disappeared just like that.

They headed back upstairs following the Doctor trying to find out as much as possible he turned on the TV and began to scroll through the channels. He flicked through the channels frowning as every channel had some sort of mentioning of the 'ghosts' whether it be the News, soap operas or the weather they all mentioned the 'ghosts' "It's all over the world." He muttered switching the channel to another with Eastenders then playing showing Peggy arguing with a 'ghost'.

Clearly having enough the Doctor turned the TV off and threw down the remote. "When did it start?" He asked Jackie.

"Well, first of all, Peggy heard this noise in the cellar, so she goes down-" Jackie began to explain not understanding his question.

"No, I mean worldwide." He made it clearer and she then explained: "Oh. That was about two months ago. Just happened. Woke up one morning, and there they all were. Ghosts, everywhere. We all ran round screaming and that. Whole planet was panicking." She then pointed to the Doctor. "No sign of you, thank you very much. Then it sort of sank in. It took us time to realise that we're lucky."

Rose then looked up. "What makes you think it's granddad?"

"It just feels like him. There's that smell, those old cigarettes. Can't you smell it?" She asked her daughter who shook her head at her sadly. "I wish I could, mum, but I can't."

"You've got to make an effort. You've got to want it, sweetheart."

"The more you want it, the stronger it gets."

"Sort of, yeah." Jackie nodded at his explanation.

"Like a psychic link. Of course, you want your old dad to be alive, but you're wishing him into existence. The ghosts are using that to pull themselves in."

"You're spoiling it." Her voice cracked a little.

"I'm sorry, Jackie, but there's no smell, there's no cigarettes. Just a memory."

"But if they're not ghosts, what are they then?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, but they're human! You can see them. They look human." Jackie protested.

"She's got a point. I mean, they're all sort of blurred, but they're definitely people."

"They look it, but are they really?" Rita asked the Doctor more than anyone, trying to hint to him a little that they were not people.

"Maybe, maybe not. They're pressing themselves into the surface of the world. But a footprint doesn't look like a boot."

"Come on then what's the plan?" Rita asked as the Doctor jumped up. "Oh wait you don't do plan" She followed him out.

"All in good time Rita, for now back to the TARDIS " She nodded following him out.

"According to the paper, they've elected a ghost as MP for Leeds." Rose walked in with a paper in hand. Rita looked up from the jump seat and couldn't help herself from grinning at the scene about to unfold before her. "Now don't tell me you're going to sit back and do nothing."

The Doctor then popped up from below the console with a backpack and a something looking like a hosepipe in his hand. "Who you gonna to call?" He asked in a ridiculous voice.

Rose replied cheering a little. "Ghostbusters!" and started to laugh.

"I ain't afraid of no ghosts." Then ran outside the TARDIS. Rita almost fell over laughing as she walked out following him with Rose behind her doing exactly the same, having to hold on to the railing to stop themselves from collapsing onto the ground.

The Doctor placed three metal orange cones in a triangle. "When's the next shift?"

"Quarter to. But don't go causing trouble. What's that lot do?" Jackie nodded to the cones.

"Triangulates their point of origin."

"Triangulates in a triangle" Rita chuckled a little.

"I don't suppose it's the Gelth?" Rose guessed.

"Nah. They were just coming through one little rift. This lot are transposing themselves over the whole planet. Like tracing paper."

"Tracing paper but not very good at tracing," Rita muttered and the Doctor nodded attaching a wire to each of the cones.

"You're always doing this. Reducing it to science. Why can't it be real? Just think of it, though. All the people we've lost. Our families coming back home. Don't you think it's beautiful?" She asked the Doctor and he simply answered: "I think it's horrific." Her face fell a little and the Doctor ran in the TARDIS with a coil of wire then plugging it into the TARDIS. "Rose, give us a hand!"

She ran inside and Rita followed then Jackie. "As soon as the cones activate if that line goes into the red, press that button there." He pointed to one on the console. He then brought out the sonic screwdriver. "If it doesn't stop setting fifteen B. Hold it against the port, eight seconds and stop." He handed her the sonic screen and she repeated the instructions to him to make sure she understood correctly. "If it goes into the blue, activate the deep scan on the left"

She held up her hand and leant over the TARDIS. "Hang on a minute, I know. Push that one. She pointed."

He gritted his teeth a little. "Close."

She pointed to another. "That one?"

"Now you've just killed us."

"How lovely" Rita chuckled and Rose laughed as well pointing to another button. "Er, that one?"

The Doctor beamed at her. "Yeah! Now, what've we got. Two minutes to go?" He ran out. "Rita I need you to help with this!"

"Coming!" She shouted running out.

"When I say so press this button" he pointed to a button on a small box.

"Got it that button there" she nodded.

"Anything you can tell me?" He asked.

She hummed in thought for a moment. "Oh they won't try and shoot you"

"Shoot me?" He asked. "Who?"

"Secrets you have to wait and see" she grinned as the Doctor used the hose like objects on the cones.

"What's the line doing?" The Doctor shouted over his shoulder to Rose in the TARDIS

"It's all right. It's holding!" She replied moving to the left a little to shout in the direction of the doors.

"You even look like him?" Jackie blurted out sounding a little upset.

"How do you mean?" Rose asked not looking up from the monitor and watching the Doctor and Rita watching the 'ghost' "I suppose I do, yeah." She nodded agreeing with her mother.

"You've changed so much." Jackie softly spoke.

Rose looked up a little annoyed at what her mother was talking about. "For the better."

"I suppose," Jackie muttered.

"Mum, I used to work in a shop." She said harsher than she intended it to sound.

"I've worked in shops. What's wrong with that?"

"No, I didn't mean that."

"I know what you meant. What happens when I'm gone?" Jackie asked her daughter.

Rose then looked at her mother over her shoulder. "Don't talk like that."

"No, but really." She continued asking again. "When I'm dead and buried, you won't have any reason to come back home. What happens then?"

"I don't know." Rose shrugged finding the topic a little unsettling she turned back to the monitor trying to ignore the last few moments.

"Do you think you'll ever settle down?"

"The Doctor never will, so I can't. I'll just keep on travelling." Rose replied.

"And what about Rita? Who even is she Rose you said a friend when I last saw you, but that was it. Who is she?" Jackie asked.

"She's a friend, a really good one as well, it's confusing and you wouldn't understand"

"At least try to explain." Jackie continued.

Rose blew out a sigh then explained to her mother. "Rita comes from a parallel world in the future, in her world this" she looked around the TARDIS. "This wasn't real and was a made up TV show that she used to watch, the Doctor and I found her on a Dalek ship." Jackie looked at her daughter horrified thinking Rita was some kind of Dalek after what Rose had told her about them the last time. "She's not a Dalek mum!" Rose loudly exclaimed. "And the Doctor promised to find out how she got on the ship."

"And her family? Those two?" Jackie asked.

"She hasn't got any." Rose sighed. "And I don't know."

"And you?"

"The way he looks at her sometimes says it all, sure I do mum but I just don't know about him."

Jackie sighed then thought back to her comment earlier. "But you'll keep on changing. And in forty years time, fifty, there'll be this woman, this strange woman, walking through the marketplace on some planet a billion miles from Earth. But she's not Rose Tyler. Not anymore. She's not even human."

"Here we go! Rita press that button now" The Doctor ordered, she complied pressing the button then standing back beside the Doctor as the cones activated.

"The scanner's working. It says delta one six." Rose shouted from inside the TARDIS.

"Come on then, you beauty!" The Doctor laughed.

"When you know what it is you won't be thinking that" Rita muttered under her breath so the Doctor wouldn't hear even with his 'superior Time Lord DNA'.

A 'ghost' then appeared and a buzzing line going from each of the cones creating a triangle. The Doctor placed on what looked like normal cardboard 3D glasses. "Rita, could you press that button on the control box?" He pointed. She nodded and pressed it. "Also turn the dial a little to the right."

She nodded again following the instructions given. "Don't like that much, do you?"

"Looks like it's having a little dance" Rita chuckled watching the 'ghost'

"Who are you? Where are you coming from?" The Doctor asked knowing he wasn't going to get a response. "Whoa!" The 'ghost' became a little restless trying to grab Rita and get out. The Doctor pulled her back by her shoulders before it touched her. "That's more like it! Not so friendly now, are you?" He grinned then looked down "You okay?" He asked the brunette still holding on to her shoulder.

"Good, yeah" she nodded. The ghost then disappeared.

"What happened!?" Rose shouted.

"They turned it off, got the signal though, help me with this Rita" he started to collect the equipment bringing it back into the TARDIS, she helped with it then remembered the control box almost leaving it behind then ran out collected it and bringing it in.

"I said so!" The Doctor ran around the TARDIS pressing buttons and flipping levers. "Those ghosts have been forced into existence from one specific point, and I can track down the source. Allons y!" He flipped a final lever, him and Rose fell back onto te jump seat and Rita squealed getting knocked as well, however, falling right on top of the Doctor. She squealed again jumping up just as fast as she fell down her cheeks becoming hot just like the rest of her body, full of embarrassment, yet possibly something else.

The Doctor then jumped up from the seat as well rushing around the TARDIS. "I like that. Allons-y." He thought aloud. "I should say allons-y more often. Allons-y. Watch out, Rose Tyler, Rita Stone. Allons-y. And then, it would be really brilliant if I met someone called Alonso because then I could say, allons-y, Alonso, every time." He rambled on then stopped looking at Rose. "You're staring at me."

"My mum's still on board." Her eyes glanced in the direction of her mother who looked pretty pissed. The Doctors face turned to true horror and Rita had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"If we end up on Mars, I'm going to kill you." Jackie hissed at him.

The Doctor turned to the scanner looking through as the TARDIS dematerialised and was held armed troops coming in surrounding it.

"Oh, well, there goes the advantage of surprise. Still, cuts to the chase. Rose, stay in here, look after Jackie. Come on Rita"

"I'm not looking after my mum." Rose protested standing in front of the TARDIS doors.

"Well, you brought her."

"Why does Rita get to go?"

"I was kidnapped!" Jackie shouted.

"Doctor, they've got guns." Rose told him.

"And I haven't. Which makes me the better person, don't you think? They can shoot me dead, but the moral high ground is mine." He grinned. "Plus, Rita said they wouldn't shoot so she gets to go," he walked out Rita following and then shut the TARDIS door so they couldn't look inside. The Doctor held up his hands and Rita stood just behind him a little diagonally. A woman on high heels obviously the leader of the operation ran in beaming. "Oh! Oh, how marvellous. Oh, very good. Superb. Happy day." She began to clap and the Doctor frowned slightly not expecting the reaction even when Rita told him he wasn't getting shot.

"Told you" she muttered. The soldiers then joined it clapping along with their leader.

The Doctor signalled for them to stop forcing on a smile. "Er, thanks. Nice to meet you. I'm the Doctor, this is Rita" she nodded after being introduced.

"Oh, I should say. Hurray!" She started to clap again.

"You, you've heard of me, then?" He asked.

"Well of course we have. And I have to say, if it wasn't for you, none of us would be here. The Doctor, Rita Stone and the Tardis." Rita frowned a little. _How do they know of me?_ They started to applause the two again and the Doctor signalled for it to stop yet again after blinking at what thy just said.

"And you are?" He asked her.

"Oh, plenty of time for that." She waved her hand.

"Yvonne Hartman" Rita spat her name. "Head of this place, never liked her or it, except for a friend who I know." Yvonne looked a little shocked that Rita knew her name. "Sorry me knowing that not on your precious records?" She shot a smug grin.

"No it's not" she admitted then turned to the Doctor. "But according to the records, you're not one for travelling alone. The Doctor and his companion. That's a pattern, isn't it, right? There's no point hiding anything. Not from us. So where is she?"

"But there is Rita?" He frowned gesturing to the brunette beside him.

"But she's not your companion though" the woman laughed and Rita raised a brow.

"Yes. Sorry. Good point." The Doctor nodded not wanting to argue. They did have guns. "She's just a bit shy, that's all." The Doctor played along then reached inside the TARDIS after slightly opening the door and grabbed the first person there.

"But here she is, Rose Tyler." He pulled out Jackie instead and he sighed a little not trying to show it. "Hmm. She's not the best I've ever had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that." He moved his hands about gesturing to a mouth opening and closing meaning that she talked too much. "Mind you not as much as Rita"

"Watch it" Rita narrowed her eyes.

"And just last week Rose Tyler here, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged fifty-seven years. But she'll do." He sighed again.

"I'm forty." Jackie protested.

"That was also ages ago" Rita pipped up. "Before you met me"

"Deluded. Bless." He put on a sad smiled. "Not Rita she's telling the truth." He added. "I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone?" He asked. "She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well, I say not bad." He made a disgusted face. "Anyway, lead on. Allons-y. But not too fast. Her ankle's going."

"I'll show you where my ankle's going." Jackie hissed at the Doctor.

"It was only a matter of time until you found us, and at last you've made it. I'd like to welcome you, Doctor. Welcome to Torchwood." She opened the doors to a massive warehouse fulls of jeeps, crates and a spaceship.

"That's a Jathar Sunglider." The Doctor Identified.

"Came down to Earth off the Shetland Islands ten years ago." She informed.

"What, did it crash?" He asked.

"They shot it." Rita clenched her jaw clearly not liking Yvonne. "Guess who followed orders to shoot on Christmas day" she glared at Yvonne.

"It violated our airspace. Then we stripped it bare." She protested. "Now, if you'd like to come with me. The Torchwood Institute has a motto. If it's alien, it's ours. Anything that comes from the sky, we strip it down and we use it for the good of the British Empire."

"For the good of the what?" Jackie frowned.

"The British Empire." Yvonne repeated.

"There isn't a British Empire."

"Not yet." A soldier then walked up to Yvonne with a large gun. "Ah, excuse me. Now, if you wouldn't mind." He handed her the gun and she showed it to the two. "Do you recognise this, Doctor?"

"That's a particle gun." He told them.

"Good, isn't it? Took us eight years to get it to work." She beamed proudly.

"It's the twenty-first century. You can't have particle guns." He simply told her.

"We must defend our border against the alien. Thank you, Sebastian, isn't it?" She asked trying to remember.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Sebastian." He nodded then walked off. "I think it's very important to know everyone by name. Torchwood is a very modern organisation. People skills. That's what it's all about these days. I'm a people person." The Doctor took the opportunity to ask: "Have you got anyone called Alonso?"

She frowned at the odd question. "No, I don't think so. Is that important?"

"To him everything's important" the Doctor grinned at her comment.

"No, I suppose not sorry Rita. What was your name?" He looked at Yvonne.

"Yvonne. Yvonne Hartman."

The Doctor picked up a black object looking like a gear but much larger with a handle on top. "Ah, yes. Now, we're rather fond of these. The Magnaclamp. Found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon. Attach this to an object and it cancels the mass. I could use it to lift two tonnes of weight with a single hand. That's an imperial ton, by the way. Torchwood refuses to go metric."

"I can see why you don't like them" he whispered into Rita's ear causing her to chuckle a little.

"I could do with that to carry the shopping." Jackie thought aloud and Yvonne looked at her like she was mad. "All these devices are for Torchwood's benefit, not the general public's."

"So, what about these ghosts?" He asked.

"Ah yes, the ghosts. They're er what you might call a side effect." She shrugged.

"Of what?"

"All in good time, Doctor. There is an itinerary, trust me." They heard a truck and turned noticing the TARDIS on the back.

"Oi! Where are you taking that?" Jackie snapped at Yvonne watching the truck.

"If it's alien, it's ours."

"You'll never get inside it." The Doctor promised.

Yvonne hummed in response and went to head off. The Doctor noticed Rose slightly opening the doors to see the Doctor outside. He gave her a little nod before the truck drove off.

The Doctor caught up walking down a hall following Yvonne. "All those times I've been on Earth, I've never heard of you."

"But of course not. You're the enemy. You're actually named in the Torchwood Foundation Charter of 1879 as an enemy of the Crown." Yvonne informed him.

"1879. That was called Torchwood, that house in Scotland." He looked at Rita who nodded remembering the house.

"That's right. Where you encountered Queen Victoria and the werewolf." Yvonne told him.

"Hold on" Rita jumped in. "I was never exiled. The Queen never told me to leave, her words were to somehow help him" she shrugged not understanding.

"Yes you are correct, still a Dame" Yvonne nodded.

"Don't call me one though, especially you."

"I think he makes half of it up and forces them to go along," Jackie said to Yvonne.

"Her Majesty created the Torchwood Institute with the express intention of keeping Britain great, and fighting the alien horde." She explained continuing down the hall.

"But if I'm the enemy, does that mean that I'm a prisoner?" The Doctor asked.

She nodded. "Oh yes. But we'll make you perfectly comfortable. And there is so much you can teach us. Starting with this." She opened the doors and Rita groaned at the sight of a huge golden almost brown sphere floating in the air.

"Now, what do you make of that?" Yvonne asked. The Doctor and Rita slowly stepped towards it.

"Don't like it at all" Rita stated crossing her arms.

"You must be the Doctor and Rita Stone. Rajesh Singh. It's an honour, sir, ma'am." A scientist held out his hands which the Doctor ignored not looking away from the sphere. Rita looked at the man and shook her head.

"Yeah." The Doctor stared at it.

Jackie looked at it. "What is that thing?"

Yvonne shrugged. "We got no idea."

"But what's wrong with it?"

"What makes you think there's something wrong with it?" Rajesh asked Jackie.

"Don't know. It just feels weird."

"Well, the sphere has that effect on everyone. Makes you want to run and hide, like it's forbidden." The Doctor walked up the steps and placed on his 3D glasses looking at the sphere closer.

"We tried analysing it using every device imaginable but according to our instruments, the sphere doesn't exist. It weighs nothing, it doesn't age. No heat, no radiation, and has no atomic mass."

Jackie protested not believing what he had said. "But I can see it."

"Fascinating, isn't it? It upsets people because it gives off nothing. It is absent."

"Upsets me because of something else. You know about the running and hiding? That's me right now" Rita told them.

"Well, Doctor?" Yvonne asked for his thoughts.

"This is a Void Ship." He stated. "Rita definitely has a right to want to run and hide"

"And what is that?" Yvonne crossed her arms waiting for an explication.

"Well, it's impossible for starters. I always thought it was just a theory, but it's a vessel designed to exist outside time and space, travelling through the Void."

"And what's the Void?"

"The space between dimensions. There's all sorts of realities around us, different dimensions, billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other. The Void is the space in between, containing absolutely nothing. Imagine that. Nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down, no life, no time. Without end. My people called it the Void. The Eternals call it the Howling. But some people call it Hell." He finished removing the 3D glasses from his face and placing them in his pocket and moving to sit on the bottom step.

"But someone built the sphere. What for? Why go there?" Rajesh asked.

"To explore? To escape? You could sit inside that thing and eternity would pass you by. The Big Bang, end of the Universe, start of the next, wouldn't even touch the sides. You'd exist outside the whole of creation."

"You see, we were right. There is something inside it." Yvonne beamed happily.

"Oh, yes." The Doctor stood up.

"So how do we get in there?"

"We don't! We send that thing back into Hell." He pointed at it. "How did it get here in the first place?" He looked at Yvonne.

"Well, that's how it all started. The sphere came through into this world, and the ghosts followed in its wake."

"Show me." He demanded walking out and turning left. Rita rolled her eyes.

"No, Doctor," Yvonne called to him, he then turned in the opposite direction heading right.

"He does that sometimes," Rita told Yvonne then ran to catch up with the Doctor.


	30. Army Of Ghosts - Two

Yvonne walked up to a plain white wall with the Doctor following and Rita behind him.

"The sphere came through here. A hole in the world. Not active at the moment, but when we fire particle engines at that exact spot, the breech opens up."

"How did you even find it?" He lightly touched the wall.

"We were getting warning signs for years. A radar black spot. So we built this place, Torchwood Tower. The breech was six hundred foot above sea level. It was on the only way to reach it.

"You built a skyscraper just to reach a spatial disturbance? How much money have you got?" He questioned.

"Enough."

"Too much" Rita commented and the Doctor hummed in agreement. They walked back to Yvonne's office and Jackie was looking out of the window.

"Hold on a minute. We're in Canary Wharf. Must be. This building, it's Canary Wharf." She looked at the buildings below.

"Well, that is the public name for it. But to those in the know, it's Torchwood."

The Doctor leant against the wall explaining the logic of Torchwood. "So, you find the breach, probe it, the sphere comes through six hundred feet above London, bam. It leaves a hole in the fabric of reality. And that hole, you think, oh, shall we leave it alone? Shall we back off?" He rhetorically asked with a hint of sarcasm. "Shall we play it safe? Nah, you think let's make it bigger!"

"It's a massive source of energy. If we can harness that power, we need never depend on the Middle East again. Britain will become truly independent." Yvonne defended Torchwood. "Look, you can see for yourself. Next Ghost Shift's in two minutes."

The Doctor became cold, his voice darkening. "Cancel it."

Yvonne scoffed. "I don't think so."

"I'm warning you, cancel it." He gritted his teeth.

"Oh, exactly as the legends would have it. The Doctor, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the Rights of Man."

"Let me show you." The Doctor stormed into the woman's office gesturing for Rita to follow. "Sphere comes through." He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the glass wall which then cracked. "But when it made the hole, it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension splintered. And that's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines. Walking from their world, across the Void, and into yours, with the human race hoping and wishing and helping them along." He explained. "But too many ghosts, and" he looked at the brunette raising a brow. "Rita" She lightly tapped the glass and it shattered falling to the floor.

"Well, in that case, we'll have to be more careful. Positions!" Yvonne turned and ordered the people to prepare. "Ghost Shift in one minute." The Doctor groaned and walked in front of Yvonne.

"Miss Hartman, I am asking you, please don't do it."

"We have done this a thousand times." She protested. Rita pushed a chair from the office out for herself.

"Then stop at a thousand!" He shouted at her.

"We're in control of the ghosts. The levers can open the breach, but equally, they can close it."

The Doctor then nodded and heading into her office fetching a chair then pulling it up beside Rita's and sat down. "Okay."

She looked at the two of them confused. "Sorry?"

"Never mind. As you were." He waved her off.

"What, is that it?" She asked looking around.

"No, fair enough. Said my bit. Don't mind me. Any chance of a cup of tea?" He looked at the woman sitting at the desk closest to him.

"Ghost Shift in twenty seconds." The woman told them.

"Mmm, can't wait to see it." He hummed putting on a smile.

"You can't stop us, Doctor."

"No, absolutely not. Pull up a chair, Rose." He gestured hitting his own lightly. "Come and watch the fireworks." Jackie then walked over and stood behind the Doctor and Rita watching Yvonne who was watching the Doctor. He raised his brows and waited.

The woman at the desk then began to count down. "Ghost Shift in ten seconds. Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two-"

Yvonne panicked. "Stop the shift. I said stop."

"Thank you." The Doctor nodded.

"I suppose it makes sense to get as much intelligence as possible. But the programme will recommence, as soon as you've explained everything." Yvonne promised crossing her arms.

"I'm glad to be of help." The Doctor told her.

"And someone clear up this glass. They did warn me, Doctor. They said you and the Stone like to make a mess."

"Who said that? Who's the Stone" Rita turned to the Doctor who slightly tensed." First they know about me like I'm some kind of hero which I am not." she held up a hand before the Doctor could put in a word. "On some file and now they and multiple people keep calling me 'the Stone' who even is that?" She said before pausing for a breath. "Then they know I apparently make a mess"

"Someones been watching you Rita" the Doctor hummed not thinking what he was guessing to be at all possible.

"Yeah, I don't like it, not even meant to be in this universe and here I am."

"You might be, never know" he shrugged getting up and moving the chair back to the desk than sitting down again.

"So these ghosts, whatever they are, did they build the sphere?" Yvonne asked the Doctor.

"Must have. Aimed it at this dimension like a cannon ball." He shrugged.

"Actually no." Rita interrupted. "They didn't" the Doctor opened his mouth to speak but the brunette continued before he could. "Secrets I can't say"

"Secrets?" Yvonne frowned.

"You also don't have that on record do you?" Rita question slightly smirking. "Quite disappointing for someone who knows that I like to make a mess when I don't know that myself." the Doctor smugly smiled at the brunettes comment. "You certainly make it out that you know more about me than you actually do."

"It's a bit... odd" Yvonne looked at the brunette. "The records on you show two different sides. Like two different people" Yvonne muttered.

"Weird" Rita frowned but was pulled out of thought by the scientist from before requesting for Yvonne on a computer. "Yvonne? I think you should see this. We've got a visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time as the Doctor." Yvonne moved her computer around so the Doctor could see Rose and Rejesh on the screen.

"She one of yours?"

The Doctor pursed his lips and shook his head while crossing his arms. "Never seen her before in my life."

Yvonne smiled. "Good. Then we can have her shot."

The Doctor sighed. "Oh, all right then. It was worth a try." He groaned. "That's, that's Rose Tyler." He nodded at the screen.

"Sorry. Hello." She waved sheepishly smiling.

"Well, if that's Rose Tyler, who's she?" Yvonne looked at Jackie.

"I'm her mother." Jackie scoffed out of annoyance.

"Oh, you travel with her mother?" Yvonne looked at the Doctor who didn't look very comfortable.

Jackie protested wanting to make it clear that she had no say in it. "He kidnapped me!"

"Please, when Torchwood comes to write my complete history, don't tell people I travelled through time and space with her mother." The Doctor begged and Rita let out a laugh.

"Charming." Jackie groaned.

"I've got a reputation to uphold." He looked over his shoulder.

"You lost that when you walked the wrong way" Rita chuckled.

"Cheeky"

"Rude and not ginger" she threw back, the pair began to smirk at each other. The two's attention was diverted when Yvonne stood up confused and annoyed.

"Excuse me?" She walked out of her office. "Everyone? I thought I said stop the ghost shift. Who started the programme?" She looked at the people on the computers. "But I ordered you to stop! Who's doing that?" She looked at the levers now moving on their own. "Right, step away from the monitors, everyone." She ordered, they all stepped away but three who had ear pods in both ears, blinking away similar to those the Doctor and Rita had witnessed before. "Gareth, Addy, stop what you're doing, right now. Matt, step away from your desk." She shouted. "That's an order! Stop the levers! Andrew!" Yvonne stormed over to the desks. The Doctor and Rita stood up frowning and following her over to the desks as a scientist grabbed one of the levers trying to force it back. "Stop the levers!"

The Doctor waved a hand in front of a woman's face then clicked his fingers trying to see if it would have an effect. "What's she doing?"

"Addy, step away from the desk. Listen to me. Step away from the desk." Yvonne now begged.

"She can't hear you. They're overriding the system. We're going into Ghost Shift."

"It's the ear piece. It's controlling them. I've seen this before." He told them. "Sorry. I'm so sorry." He used his sonic screwdriver to disable the ear pieces causing the woman to scream, the two other people did the same then fall to the floor dead.

"What happened? What did you just do?" Yvonne looked at her concerned.

"They're dead." The Doctor darkly told them moving away.

Jackie gasped then cried out. "You killed them."

"Oh, someone else did that long before I got here." He protested looking at the other computers.

"But you killed them!" Jackie cried out again.

The Doctor looked at the woman seriously. "Jackie, I haven't got time for this."

"What are those ear pieces?" The Yvonne went to reach for one.

"Don't touch them" Rita warned Yvonne.

"But they're standard comms. devices. How does it control them?" Yvonne ignored the brunette.

"Leave them alone," the Doctor told her.

"But what are they?" Yvonne reached down and pulled one of the pieces out of the woman's ear and a long strand of grey followed it. Yvonne and Jackie gasped at the sight and Yvonne threw the earpiece down on the floor. "Urgh! Oh, God! It goes inside their brain." She cried.

"I told you not to" Rita muttered holding a hand to her mouth feeling slightly sickened.

"What about the Ghost Shift?" The Doctor moved around the computers.

"Ninety percent there and still running. Can't you stop it?" She asked the Doctor.

"They're still controlling it. They've hijacked the system." He used his sonic screwdriver.

"Who's they?" Yvonne asked watching the Doctor.

"It might be a remote transmitter but it's got to be close by. I can trace it. Jackie, stay here!" He ran out with Rita following with him holding his sonic screwdriver out following its signal.

"You're not going to like it at all Doctor" Rita promised him as he followed the signal through the building. Running through the halls which then lead to the unoccupied floor.

"What's down here?" He held his sonic screwdriver out still following it.

Yvonne stuttered. "I don't, I don't know. I think it's building work. It's just renovations."

"You should go back." The Doctor spoke over his shoulder then noticed the two guards she had brought along with her and quietly groaned.

"Think again." Yvonne followed him and Rita through the plastic curtains. "What is it? What's down here?"

"Earpieces, ear pods. This world's colliding with another, and I think I know which one."

"You guessed correctly Doctor" Rita winced a little seeing the figures of Cybermen behind the plastic curtains.

"What are they?" Yvonne gasped as the figures began to cut through the curtains allowing them to step through.

"They came through first. The advance guard." He gritted his teeth. "Cybermen!" He shouted grabbing Rita's hand and pulling her away. Yvonne followed and the soldiers then began to open fire at the Cybermen.

The Cybermen escorted the Doctor, Rita, Jackie and Yvonne back to Yvonne's office as prisoners with their hands on their heads. "Get away from the machines. Do what they say. Don't fight them!" The Doctor shouted at everyone in the room. The Cybermen then shot the two scientists trying to pull the levers back and moved into a position around the Doctor, Rita, Jackie, Yvonne and some scientists that the Cybermen had not yet kill.

"What are they?" Jackie asked the Doctor staring at them. The Cyberman closest to her then turned answering in its annoying robotic voice.

"We are the Cybermen." It stated. "The Ghost Shift will be increased to one hundred percent." The levers then moved further up.

"Online." The computer said.

"Here come the ghosts." The Doctor muttered holding Rita's hand with his left and shielding his eyes just like everyone else. The 'ghosts' began to walk through the walls in rows like normal until their appearance began to change and a distant stomping sound was heard echoing in the room getting louder and louder.

"But these Cybermen, what've they got to do with the ghosts?"

"Do you never listen? A footprint doesn't look like a boot." The Doctor gritted his teeth knowing what happened now.

"Achieving full transfer." The Cyberleader said and the 'ghosts' began to transform.

"They're Cybermen. All of the ghosts are Cybermen. Millions of them, right across the world." The Cybermen then solidified and were through. "But I don't understand. The Cybermen don't have the technology to build a Void Ship. That's way beyond you. How did you create that sphere?" The Doctor asked them.

"The sphere is not ours."

"What?" He frowned.

"The sphere broke down the barriers between worlds. We only followed. Its origin is unknown."

The Doctor then muttered. "Then what's inside it?"

"Rose is down there." Jackie gasped in horror.


	31. Doomsday

**Oh no it's Doomsday the episode I probably dislike the most. (I love the episode but it's just the emotion I can't handle. :(**

The Cybermen pulled the three into Yvonne's office and stood at the side of the rooms and exits. "What's down there? She was in that room with the sphere. What's happened to Rose?" Jackie cried.

The Doctor gritted his teeth. "I don't know. I'll find her. I brought you here, I'll get you both out, you and your daughter." Jackie looked away not believing him. "Jackie, look at me." He said in the most serious tone. "Look at me." She finally looked at him. "I promise you. I give you my word."

The Cyberleader walked up to Yvonne and stopped. "You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender."

"Oh, do some research. We haven't got a central world authority." She hissed at it.

"You have now. I will speak on all global wavelengths. This broadcast is for humankind." The Doctor placed on the 3D glasses and listened.

"Cybermen now occupy every land mass on this planet, but you need not fear. Cybermen will remove fear. Cybermen will remove sex and class and colour and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us."

There suddenly was an explosion and fire, mass panic began over the world. "I ordered surrender." The Cyberleader dumbly stated.

"They're not taking instructions. Don't you understand?!" The Doctor shouted at it. "You're on every street, you're in their homes, you've got their children! Of course, they're going to fight!"

"Doctor when I first came here" Rita whispered. "Did I ever mention pepperpots?" She asked and the Doctor looked at her frowning.

"Pepperpots?" He repeated and she nodded.

"In my universe, they had that nickname." She explained then looked at him seriously with slight fear in her eyes. "Doctor their back. The spaceship you found me on, it's them" His eyes widened in horror as he tightened his grip on her hand.

"If they know who you are-" He gritted his teeth and was cut off by the brunette.

"If this is what I am here for then so be it." Rita firmly replied. "Doctor I know what happens, the price you pay is too big, for once I'm not going to stand around and let the destruction happen around me."

"Rita, no" he coldly told her. "You are not risking your life for anyone, not today, not ever." He firmly told her holding her wrist. "You can't"

Rita opened her mouth to protest and argue again, the Cyberleader however, interrupted her thought. "Units open visual link." A Cyberman shows up on Yvonne's laptop and a door frame came into view. "Visual contact established."

A Dalek came into view from the door and the Doctor stood up his eyes widening. It wasn't that he didn't believe Rita when she told him, he just didn't want to believe it.

"Identify yourselves." The Dalek ordered.

"You will identify first." The Cyberman demanded.

"State your identity."

"You will identify first." The Cyberman ignored the Dalek repeating itself.

"Identify!" The Dalek screamed.

"You will modify."

"Daleks do not take orders." The Dalek finally identified itself.

"You have identified as Daleks."

"Rose said about the Daleks. She was terrified of them. What have they done to her, Doctor? Is she dead?" Jackie cried.

"Phone" he put out his hand waiting.

"What?" She asked.

The Doctor gritted his teeth. "Phone!" He demanded hissing at the woman.

"We followed in the wake of your sphere." The cyberman said while the Doctor phoned Rose who thankfully answered the three breathed out a sigh knowing she was okay.

"She's answered. She's alive." The Doctor told Jackie. "Why haven't they killed her?"

"Well, don't complain!" She whispered loudly.

"He's not" Rita cut in.

"They must need her for something." He thought holding the phone to his ear to listen.

"We must protect the Genesis Ark." Rita heard the voice of the Dalek through the phone.

"The Genesis Ark?" He muttered aloud. "Rita?"

"It's yours"

"Mine?" He frowned.

"Secrets"

"Our species are similar, though your design is inelegant." The Doctor focused on the laptop placing his 3D glasses on and slightly leaning in.

"Daleks have no concept of elegance."

"This is obvious. But consider, our technologies are compatible. Cybermen plus Daleks, together, we could upgrade the Universe." It finished.

"You propose an alliance?" The Dalek asked.

"This is correct."

The Dalek paused then replied. "Request denied." The Cybermen automatically ready their weapons on their arms ready to fire.

"Hostile elements will be deleted." They began to shoot at the Dalek.

It screamed at them: "Exterminate!" And did just that destroying both Cybermen and leaving no marks at all on the Dalek.

"Open visual link." The CyberLeader ordered and the link from Yvonne's laptop to the Daleks. "Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen." It stated.

"This is not war. This is pest control." It almost spat at it.

"We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?" The Cyberleader asked.

"Four." It replied in the screeching empty voice.

"You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?" It asked almost like it was laughing and mocking the Dalek.

"We would destroy the Cybermen with one Dalek.  
You are superior in only one respect." The black Dalek told the Cyberleader.

"What is that?" The Doctor and Rita moved across the screen going to look at one if the computers still on the phone listening in.

"You are better at dying. Raise communications barrier!" The Dalek screeched causing the screen to go black for the Cybermen.

"Lost her." The Doctor handed the phone back to Jackie.

"Wait!" One of the Daleks shouted.

"Rewind image by nine rells." It ordered. "Identify grid seven gamma frame." The screen zoomed in on the Doctor and Rita. "This male registers as enemy."

"The female's heartbeat has increased." The black Dalek noticed turnings to Rose.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Mickey muttered

"Identify him." It demanded her.

"All right, then. If you really want to know, that's the Doctor." She nodded. The Daleks slightly roll back away from her.

"The female also registers as an enemy! Identify her." The black Dalek then asked.

"Surprised you haven't recognised her, since you did kidnap her onto your ship once. That's Rita _Stone_." Rose told them. The Daleks rolled back even further. She grinned a little. "Five million Cybermen, easy. One Doctor and a Rita _Stone_? Now you're scared."

"The Stone is with the Doctor!" A Dalek then screamed the others joining in. "The Stone is with the Doctor!" They screeched Rose and Mickey looked in confusion not understanding what they meant by 'the stone' and why the Dalek generally sounded terrified of what she just said.

The Cyberleader stepped away from the laptop and turned to another Cyberman giving it orders. "Quarantine the Sphere chamber. Start emergency upgrading. Begin with these personnel." The Cyberman walked over taking Jackie and Yvonne as they screamed.

"No, you can't do this! We surrendered! We surrendered!" She cried.

"This one. His increased adrenaline suggests that he has vital Dalek information. The female is the same" it directed at Rita. The Cybermen pulled Yvonne and Jackie who were screaming in fear.

"Stop them! I don't want to go!" Jackie cried. "You promised me! You gave me your word!" She cried trying to get away.

The Doctor gritted hid teeth now shouting himself. "I demand you leave that woman alone!" He pointed at Jackie trying to reach her with the arm not holding on to Rita. "I won't help you if you hurt her."

"Jackie No!" Rita shouted trying to help the poor woman.

"Jackie, don't fight. I'll think of something." The Doctor shouted as Jackie was pulled away past view.

The Doctor gritted his teeth at the Cybermen breathing heavily. Rita stepped closer. "She gets out Doctor" she reassured moving her hand to his and gently rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand. He sighed and pulled her into a hug not wanting to let go in fear of her being taken as well. He needed her more than ever. Daleks and Cybermen, Impossible. Rita Stone? Even more.

The Daleks no doubt knew she was here now, the Doctor had no idea what their reaction to her presents would be like he didn't know why she was on their ship, whatever the reason it was bad. The Doctor finally let go and walked into Yvonne's office still holding Rita and slumping down on the floor sighing. "I don't know how they will react" he murmured holding her hand tightly as she sat down. "The Daleks must know you're here."

"If they do then that's lucky for them."

"I won't let them take you back Rita." he tried to promise her.

"Doctor I know you can't promise me that," she shook her head. "Maybe if they did I would finally find out why I'm here" she shrugged. "Maybe I would get to go back home" she muttered.

"Why?" His eyes snapped up to her's looking slightly terrified. "Do you want to?" He asked, his eyes piercing into hers.

"No" she replied a little quicker than expected. "Just... sometimes I think about the friends I had. Most of them hated the show." She chuckled. "Thought I was obsessed. Then I brought this merchandise and they thought I was mad for buying a stupid old watch that looks exactly like one from the show." She reached to the back of her neck and unclipped a chain taking it off and placing it in her hand. "Stupid thing really" she muttered. "I don't even remember buying it." The Doctor froze at the sight, his eyes darting from the brunette to the 'broken' fob watch. He gently took it from her placing it in his hand and rubbing a thumb over the back feeling the Gallifreyan engraved in the back, before turning the watch over.

"Rita" his voice cracked a little and a memory, something, someone had told him in an earlier regeneration flashed in his mind. "This isn't a stupid replica" he mumbled. "This isn't some merchandise" she frowned at him, not understanding. "Do you know what this?"

"Of course I do" she scoffed. "In the show it held... it held" she stuttered trying to think of the words then chuckled a little, slightly and changed the subject. "My head hurts a little."

"You're trying to remember and you can't because you are in there" he softly replied holding the fob watch out to her placing it in her hands. "Have you tried to open it?"

"Why would I?" She asked ignoring what he mentioned about her being 'inside the fob watch' "It's broken and a fake"

"Have you ever tried?" He raised a brow.

"No" she shook her head.

"Why don't you?" He asked shuffling away a tiny bit to give her some space. "I'm right here, the Cybermen are busy worrying about the Daleks to notice" he reassured her. She looked at the watch and the Doctor slightly worried but she trusted him so she did as he said and pressed the button opening it. A golden glow of light shone out, she squeezed her eyes shut at the same time as she closed the watch.

"I heard a voice" she whispered. "Let me go" she repeated exactly what she heard. "She sounded so scared Doctor"

"I'm sure she is" he chuckled a little. "All on her own." He lightly shook his head having a small idea of who it could be, what someone had told him years ago, something that only unlocked in his mind now. "Open it again" he softly told her. She gulped then clicked it open again keeping the watch open this time hearing the whispers of the woman echo in her ears.

 _Let me go._

 _Please._

 _Please just let me go._

The light brightened the office and the Doctor shielded his eyes as it engulfed Rita, changing her.

"Unknown readings located" a Cyberman walked in and the Doctor snapped his head up at it.

"No, no, no!" He shouted jumping up and standing in front of the brunette squinting his eyes at the light.

The Cyberman pushed him aside stepping towards the brunette too occupied with the glow of the watch to notice. It reached down and grabbed the fob watch from her. She gasped as it was forced closed.

"It wasn't finished!" The Doctor shouted running over to her.

"There wasn't anything left anyways" she breathed. "The Daleks, no doubt did something, did this to me" she gulped gesturing to herself. "But everything else is gone. Memories gone, I can remember some things." She shook her head. "But then there are also some things that are like dreams" she then screamed a little clutching her chest in pain. "God I forgot that, how did I manage" she chuckled. "Two hearts" she smiled a little panting. She looked at the Doctor sitting beside her looking a little worried and hurt as if he lost someone which technically he thought he lost a friend. "Still me Doctor" she looked at him seriously. "I'm still Rita. I just have two hearts and some other things."

"How did you-" she held up a hand for him to stop.

"Not right now, you forced me to open the watch at a seriously bad time. Daleks and Cybermen? What could be worse?" She sarcastically muttered standing up almost falling over she grabbed onto the table for support. "Oh, look at me, forgotten how to walk"

"It's still you" he smiled in realisation helping her stand up.

"Of course it is still me idiot" she swatted his arm. "God, you never listen do you?"

"Afraid not" he muttered.

"Somethings I can't remember about the 'human me', oh that's weird 'human me'" she repeated again frowning causing the Doctor to chuckle a little. "It's like it's locked away" she mumbled to herself finally standing up own and brushing herself off. "There we go, little better" she shrugged. "Now where did they put that watch, I liked that watch"

The Cyber Leader walked through into Yvonne's office standing before the Doctor. "You are proof."

He looked up at it. "Of what?"

"That emotions destroy you."

The Doctor muttered. "Yeah, I am." Then looked up grinning. "Mind you, I quite like hope. Hope's a good emotion. And here it comes." He nodded then dived to the left pulling Rita with him.

There was a flash and a group if people appeared, there was a loud echo in the room and light flickered all around the sound of guns firing which then caused the Cybermen to be electrocuted and fall to the floor dead. The CyberLeader stepped out of Yvonne's office, about to shoot a man before he shot first and the leader fell to his knees. It's head then explode causing smoke to escape and rise from the gap.

The Doctor and Rita stood up brushing themselves off with the brunette groaning. "Doctor? Good to see you again." A man removed a mask to show none other than Jake standing before him.

"Jake?" The Doctor said confused and shocked.

"The Cybermen came through from one world to another, and so did we." He beamed.

The Doctor frowned and then looked at Rita for anything who just shrugged at him. "Locked away remember" she tapped her left temple. "I'm pretty useless without foreknowledge at the moment. Due to having no foreknowledge"

"What is she on about?" Jake asked.

"Oh, she's a Time Lord, well Time Lady." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sort of hard to explain." He placed the 3D glasses on watching Jake who began to order the people. "Defend this room. Chrissie, monitor communications. Kill one CyberLeader and they just download into another. Move!" He shouted and they all ran off.

The Doctor removed his 3D glasses and looked at Jake. "You can't just, just, just hop from one world to another. You can't."

"He's right" Rita nodded. "It's impossible"

"Well, we just did." He shrugged then brought out two yellow mettallion disks with chains. "With these." He threw one to the Doctor and Rita.

"But that's impossible. You can't have this sort of technology." The Doctor studied it.

"We've got our own version of Torchwood. They developed it. Do you want to come and see?" He asked them pressing the button before the Doctor could reply. The two with Jake vanished from their world and reappeared in the same place in the parallel world they visited before.

They looked around, wire and old machines were laying on the ground in the dark room identical to where they were moments ago. "Parallel Earth, parallel Torchwood. Except we found out what the Institute was doing and the People's Republic took control." Jake explained.

"We've got to get back. Rose is in danger, and her mother." The Doctor stepped forwards towards him.

"That'd be Jackie." Pete walked in, the Doctor and Rita turned around. "My wife in a parallel universe. And as for you, Doctor, at least this time I know who you are."

"Right, yes, fine, hooray. But we've got to get back, right now." He stepped towards Pete gritting his teeth a little.

"No, you're not in charge here. This is our world, not yours. And you're going to listen for once." Pete firmly and calmly said.

"Listening isn't going to help save my friends," Rita stepped forward cutting in. "I was on one of the Dalek's ships before. I have seen what they can do even if it seems like a dream and could be just a dream." She glared at him. "I have seen what they are like. We have to go back, you may not think that she is your daughter but she is my friend and she has no idea what's going on." She then stepped forward coming face to face with the man slightly looking up at him. "She has no idea who I even am anymore and I have got to fix this!" Rita shouted finishing her rant now standing very close to Pete staring at him coldly.

"Rita this isn't your world either so before you start to demand from me listen" he snapped at her. "When you left this world Doctor, you warned us there'd be more Cybermen. So we sealed them inside the factories."

The Doctor walked up and pressed his head against the wall. "Except people argued. Said they were living. We should help them." Jake added. Standing beside Pete.

"And the debate went on. But all that time, the Cybermen made plans. Infiltrated this version of Torchwood, mapped themselves onto your world, and then vanished."

"Cleverer than I thought" Rita tilted her head having to give that one to the Cybermen.

"When was this?" The Doctor crossed his arms.

"Three years ago." Rita's and the Doctors eyes widened.

He walked away from the wall towards what was Yvonne's office. "It's taken them three years to cross the void, but we can pop to and fro in a second. Must be the sheer mass of five million Cybermen crossing all at once."

"That can't be good,You do" Rita said aloud.

"Yeah, Mickey said you'd rattle off that sort of stuff Doctor" Pete muttered. The Doctor then looked around seeing if Mickey was anywhere.

"Oh, where is the Mickey boy?"

"He went ahead first. Any chance to go and find Miss Rose Tyler." He said as if she was a random woman he didn't know, which was a lie because he did.

"She's your daughter. Do you know that? Did Mickey explain?" The Doctor asked moving to the window.

"She's not mine. She's the child of a dead man." He coldly stated then looked out of the window with the Doctor. "Look at it, a world of peace. They're calling this The Golden Age."

"Who's the President now?" The Doctor questioned.

"A woman called Harriet Jones."

"Oof. I'd keep an eye on her." The Doctor commented.

"You said that" Rita chuckled. "Practically spat 'Britains golden age' in her face Christmas morning when she was still prime minister"

"So I did" he hummed.

"But it's a lie." Pete then started to explain crossing his arms and staring out of the window looking down at the building below. "Temperatures have risen by two degrees in the past six months. The ice caps are melting. They're saying all this is going to be flooded." He paused and looked at the Doctor. "That's not just global warming, is it?"

"No." the Doctor replied moving out of the office.

"It's the breach," Pete answered for him.

"I've been trying to tell you. Travel between parallel worlds is impossible. Then the Daleks break down the walls with a Sphere." He waved his hands.

"Daleks?" Pete questioned.

"You don't want to know,frowing" Rita told him and the Doctor continued to rant.

"Then the Cybermen travelled across, then you lot. Those discs." He pointed at them. "Every time you jump from one reality to another, you rip a hole in the universe. This planet is starting to boil!" He shouted pointing towards the window. "Keep going and both worlds will fall into the Void."

"But you can stop it? The famous Doctor. You can seal the breach?" Pete smiled a little.

"Leaving five million Cybermen stranded on my Earth." The Doctor looked at him coldly.

"That's your problem. I'm protecting this world, and this world only."

The Doctor then began to laugh. "Hmm. Pete Tyler. I knew you when you were dead. Now here you are, fighting the fight... alone." He looked at the man who looked confused. "There is a chance, back on my world, Jackie Tyler might still be alive."

"My wife died," Pete mumbled like it was a curse to say.

"Her husband died. Good match."

"Doctor the matchmaker" Rita chuckled and the Doctor raised a brow as if he was asking if she had a problem with it.

"There's more important things at stake. Doctor, help us." Pete pleaded for his help.

"What, close the breach? Stop the Cybermen? Defeat the Daleks? Do you believe I can do that?" He raised his brows at the man.

"She does" Pete nodded over to Rita.

"Do you?" He asked her.

"Yes." She smiled. "And so does Pete, Jake, Rose and Mickey not so sure about Jackie though." She laughed.

The Doctor smiled laughing at her joke. "Maybe that's all I need. Off we go, then!" Pete pressed the button on the disk around his neck and they reappeared in the Torchwood building.

The Doctor ran over to the phone in Yvonne's office picking it up and dialling a number. "First of all, I need to make a phone call. You don't mind?" He asked over his shoulder putting the phone to his ear.

"You two, guard to door." Jake pointed at two men holding guns, they both nodded at him and headed over to where he gestured.

"And I need to find that watch, loved the watch." Rita chuckled looking on all of the desks. "Ah!" She beamed picking it up still in perfect condition, well as perfect as it was just like before she became human although it looked very much older and had a hint of rust. "Must fix that" She mumbled reattaching it around her neck and tucking it under her shirt. "Clothes are a little weird at the moment, I do like them though" she hummed in thought.

"Jackie, you're alive." The Doctor breathed and Rita looked up then walked over to the Doctor leaning beside him with the phone between them so she could also hear. "Listen." He said but was cut off by the terrified blonde woman.

"They tried to download me but I ran away!" She cried breathing heavily.

"Shush, shush, shush." He said into the phone making her shut up. "Listen, tell me. Where are you?"

"I don't know. Staircase." She replied.

"Yeah, which one?"

"Anything there to tell us Jackie? Rita asked. "We need to know!" Rita cut the Doctor off who then groaned at her.

"Yes!" She beamed and the Doctor and Rita's face lit up. "A fire extinguisher."

"Oh" Rita's face fell slightly.

"Yeah, that helps." The Doctor sarcastically commented.

"Oh!" She then gasped. "Wait a minute. It says N3." She described to them.

"That's the north corner, staircase three." Rita explained and the Doctor nodded. "Just keep low, we're trying our best." He told the woman.

"No, don't leave me." She cried out into the phone making Rita's hearts ache for the woman.

"We've got to go. I'm sorry." He sadly told her placing the phone down. He then looked up placing his hands in his pockets and proudly smiled at Pete. "Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Tyler."

Pete shook his head protesting. "She's not my wife."

"I was at the wedding. You got her name wrong." He walked away tugging on his ear a little. "Now then, Jakey boy, if I can open up the bonding chamber on this thing, it'll work on polycarbite."

"What's polycarbite?" Jake asked frowning.

"Skin of a Dalek." The Doctor answered.

"I prefer the name Pepperpots." Rita grinned.

 _"Rita not now"_ She blinked confused not understanding how she heard the Doctor without him opening his mouth. He smiled at her and shook his head _"Don't look so scared Rita"_ He chuckled quietly, she blinked again not understanding how he was doing that. _'You'll figure it out soon'_ he read the confusion on her face and she slowly nodded trusting him. "Rita can you make a little white flag with some paper?" He asked her aloud.

"Do I look like an arts and craftswoman?" She raised a brow.

"No but you're going to do it anyways" He smirked at her, she groaned slightly then walked off following the orders he had given her.

 **Aha, my long secret is revealed! Rita is indeed a Time Lady. I always planned this from the very start of this book, only one chapter to go!**


	32. Doomsday- Two

"Is this really you're best plan?" Rita whispered while hissing at the Doctor who was sneeking around like he was James Bond, moving from against the wall and slowly walking along.

"No but it's fun."

"You're an idiot" She hissed at him. "Our friends are down there with the bloody pepperpots and you think it's funny to walk around thinking you're James Bond!" She snapped whispering. He looked over his shoulder and sighed. "James Bond?" He raised a brow then looked down at himself seeing that he was pressed up against the wall moving along side it. "Good point, flag" He held out his hand and she groaned rolling her eyes and giving him the flag. "I don't understand why you couldn't just hold it, pockets bigger on the inside are not just to sound cool"

"God you are very snappy today." He whispered back and slightly poked his head around the corner.

"I have my reasons," She said under her breath.

"What was that?" He looked over his shoulder not hearing her.

"Nevermind" She shook her head, just wave the flag and get on with it" Rita groaned. He rolled his eyes and did what she said holding out the flag Rita had made earlier and waving it then popping out.

"Sorry. No white flag. I only had a sheet of A4."

" _You_ had a sheet of A4?" Rita walked out from behind the wall sounding offended. " _I_ had a sheet of A4 paper _I_ had to make it"

"Same difference." he gave her a cheeky smile then turned to the Cyberman. "Sorry, you were going to say something?"

"Do you surrender?" It asked them both.

The Doctor walked forward going face to face with the Cyberman and having to slightly look up at it. "We surrender unto you. A very good idea." He grinned.

"Oh, it seems I can remember some of my 'human' memories" Rita muttered standing beside the Doctor just before they were about to head into the sphere laboratory. "Oh no." She mumbled her face draining of colour going almost as white as a sheet of paper if her skin wasn't already naturally pale.

"What's wrong?" He asked reaching for her hand to try and comfort her.

"It's the Ark" She gulped. "I didn't remember as a human. It's something" She shook her head desperately trying to remember. "A sort of prison, I think" The Doctor and Rita's heads shot up at the sound of a Dalek screaming exterminate behind the door.

"Keep trying to remember as much as you can, even little things but don't push yourself too much" He warned her then nodded and opened the door placing his 3D glasses on. "Oh now, hold on, wait a minute." He walked through the door letting go of the brunette's hand and placing his own in his pockets.

"Alert, alert. You are the Doctor." A black Dalek turned its eyestalk towards the Doctor.

"Sensors report he is unarmed." Another Dalek added.

"That's me. Always." He continued to grin walking about.

"Then you are powerless." It told him.

"Not me. Never. How are you?" he walked over to Rose giving her a hug.

"Oh, same old, you know." She nodded.

"Good. And Mickity McMickey. Nice to see you!" he bumped fists with him and smiled.

"And you, boss."

"Alert, Alert." The black Dalek screamed again diverting the three's attention to the door. "You are the Stone! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"Oh am I?" Rita walked in. "Isn't that lovely" She grinned accepting the name they had given her. "But before you exterminate me and my friend's pepperpots, that's you lot by the way," She pointed at them, the Doctor blinked at her sudden confidence reminding him of a _very_ old friend. "Don't you want to know how I'm here?" She raised a brow walking in front of them. "Because I certainly want to know how on Earth you managed to get me on your ship, because I clearly did not agree with the idea." She stood before the black Dalek. "So what happened hmm?" She hummed leaning into its stalk.

"You were the key!" It screamed.

"A Stone, a key, so many names" She hummed. "Why does he get all the cool ones though" She pointed at the Doctor. "But surely you must have known I was a human?" she moved her gaze to the Daleks again. "I know you're not that stupid."

"We were too late." The Dalek answered her question.

"Too late?" Her eyes widened a little. "Oh I see, You dragged me through a Parallel world at the wrong time, to the wrong ship. Sounds like him." She pointed at the Doctor yet again.

"Doctor?" Rose whispered. "What's going on?"

"She's a Time Lord"

"That's Time Lady thank you very much" She pointed to him walking over and standing beside the Doctor, Rose and Mickey frowned not understanding how it was possible. "I'll explain later though, not the best time."

"Social interaction will cease!" One of the Daleks shouted.

"Little late for that," Rita muttered.

"How did you survive the Time War?" The black Dalek directed at the Doctor.

"By fighting. On the front line. I was there at the fall of Arcadia. Someday I might even come to terms with that." He replied. "But you lot" He looked at the four Daleks. "Ran away!"

"We had to survive."

"Survive by trying to take what was an innocent human, dragging her through a parallel world to another than to make things worse you threw her on a Dalek ship in the wrong time as a sort of key what was she being used for?" He asked.

"I'm right here you know." Rita groaned crossing her arms.

"The key to win the war"

"What" He shook his head. "No offence Rita" he held a hand up. "But what is so special about her?"

"She was promised"

"Promised?" He frowned. "What do you mean by promised"

"The Emperor made a prophecy"

"A prophecy, right" He nodded. "And what did that say?"

"The Stone would end the greatest war."

"Right" He nodded. "But you're the last four Daleks in existence. So what's so special about you?"

Rose looked up "Doctor, they've got names. I mean, Daleks don't have names, do they? One of them said they..." She was cut off by the Daleks.

"I am Dalek Thay."

"Dalek Sek."

"Dalek Jast."

"Dalek Caan."

"So that's it!" He nodded then looked at Rita wanting her to try and think. "Any ideas?"

"The Cult of Skaro." She announced. "I thought they were legends, if you can even class them as legends"

"So did I" He hummed.

"Who are they?" Rose asked the pair.

"A secret order above and beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine, think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names. All to find new ways of killing."

"The only thing they do is shoot and scream" Rita hissed at the Daleks.

"But that thing, they said it was yours. I mean, Time Lords. They built it." He looked at them. "What does it do?"

"I don't know. Never seen it before." He shrugged looking at the Ark.

"I still can't remember everything thanks to whatever the pepper pots did, messed up my watch a little" She grumbled at them. "Clearly it worked enough to get me out"

"But it's Time Lord." Rose frowned.

"Both sides had secrets." He turned his attention to the Daleks. "What is it? What have you done?"

"Time Lord science will restore Dalek supremacy." One of the four Daleks answered.

"What does that mean? What sort of Time Lord science? What do you mean?" The Doctor asked.

"Time Lord science..." Rita mumbled "No" Rita gasped. "You can't"

"What?" He looked at Rita. "What's wrong?"

"Rose what did they tell you?" Rita looked at the blonde raising her brows.

"They said one touch from a time traveller will wake it up." Rita smiled smugly.

"Exactly" She grinned leaning into a Daleks eye stalk. "What can't the Daleks do?"

She asked and the Doctor replied: "Touch. Sealed inside your casing." He leant in beside Rita gritting his teeth. "Not feeling anything ever, from birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage. Completely alone. That explains your voice. No wonder you scream."

"The Doctor will open the Ark!" It shouted the Doctor scoffed leaning back, pulling the brunette with him. "The Doctor will not."

"The Stone won't either, oh I like that" Rita wiggled her finger. "Might actually keep that" She winked at the Doctor who tensed a little. _'No'_ He gasped in his mind.

"You have no way of resisting." The Dalek told them.

"Well, you got us there." He sighed then reached into his inside pocket on his suit. "Although there is always this." He brought out his sonic screwdriver and tossed it in the air then caught it.

"A sonic probe?" The Dalek asked.

"That's screwdriver." He told them.

"It is harmless."

"Oh, yes. Harmless is just the word. That's why I like it. Doesn't kill, doesn't wound, doesn't maim. But I'll tell you what it does do. It is very good at opening doors." He then pressed it and the doors of the laboratory then blew off. The Doctor dived to the floor pulling Rita down with him as Jake entered with a Cyberman shooting their guns at the Dalek.

"Delete! Delete! Delete! Delete!" The Cyberman screamed firing at the Daleks.

"Alert. Casing impaired. Casing impaired." A Dalek screeched. The Doctor took the opportunity to get to his feet and run to the doors pulling Rita with him.

"Rose, get out!" he shouted.

"Firepower insufficient! Firepower insufficient!" The Dalek screamed.

Rose tried getting to her feet and running to the door but stumbled Pete saw her and ran to help her putting his arm around her and pulling the blonde to the door. "Come on." He shouted.

"Daleks will be deleted. Delete. Delete." The Cyberman announced.

"Mickey, come on!" Rose shouted for Mickey who had dived to the floor and began to shoot at the Daleks.

"Adapt to weaponry."

"Firepower restored!" The Daleks then started to shoot killing a Cyberman. Mickey got up to run put got knocked by a Cyberman and went to fall over but put out his hand to steady himself. He felt a slight burn and yelped before sprinting to the doors where the others stood waiting.

"Cybermen primary target." The Dalek announced.

The Doctor and Rita pulled the doors closed as Mickey ran through. "Jake, check the stairwell. The rest of you, come on." The Doctor ordered and they started to run through the corridor.

"I just fell, I didn't mean it!" Mickey protested.

"Mickey, without us, they'd have opened it by force. To do that, they'd have blown up the sun. You've done us a favour. Now, run!" He kissed the man's forehead and Rita let out a laugh.

So Time Lord?" Rose looked at Rita as they ran.

"Time Lady" She corrected the blonde.

"How?" Rose frowned running down the corridor.

 _"Rita"_ the brunette narrowed her eyes at the Doctor.

"Sort of a trick" she replied ignoring the Doctor. "You heard all that with the Daleks back there. "I somehow, don't ask me because I don't know escaped the Time War. Was sent to a Parallel universe and lived there then the stupid pepper pots brought me over and I met you guys." The Doctor tensed a little again at the mentioning of her not knowing how she 'escaped' "This watch" She reached around her neck and pulled it from under her shirt. "It can hold a Time Lord's essences which basically means it can hold us in the watch, this one was holding me, it's very complicated and hard to explain while running" Rita finished the conversation.

"Best leave it until later then" Mickey added.

"Yeah you know that was always a good idea,fireing" The Doctor said sarcastically narrowing his eyes at Rita. They ran down another corridor turning left and heard the cries of Jackie Tyler: "No, but you can't. Please." She begged. There were Cybermen blocking the way. Pete quickly grabbed the gun Mickey was holding and aimed it at the Cyfiringand causing them to blow up in smoke.

Jackie looked through the smoke and frowned. "Pete?"

"Hello, Jacks." He smiled through the smoke.

"I said there were ghosts, but that's not fair. Why him?" She cried looking at the Doctor who smiled a little at her joke.

"I'm not a ghost." He told her.

"But you're dead. You died twenty years ago, Pete."

"It's Pete from a different universe. Did Rose ever mention about Rita?" He asked and she slightly nodded. "There are parallel worlds, Jackie. Every single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where-"

"Oh, you can shut up." She cut him off and he scratched the back of his head Rita let out a little laugh and shook her head while Rose held her hands to her mouth. "Oh, you look old." She said to Pete.

"You don't." He said to her.

"How can you be standing there?" She asked him.

"I just got lucky." He explained. "Lived my life. You were left on your own. You didn't marry again, or?"

"There was never anyone else." Pete nodded. "Twenty years, though. Look at me. I never left that flat. Did nothing with myself."

"You brought her up." Pete smiled. "Rose Tyler. That's not bad." The Doctor and Rita both smiled.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"In my world, it worked. All those daft little plans of mine, they worked. Made me rich." He explained to her.

"I don't care about that." She shook her head then asked. "How rich?"

"Very." He laughed.

"I don't care about that." She then paused again. "How very?"

Pete sighed. "Thing is though, Jacks, you're not my wife. I'm sorry, but you're not." He then shook his head. "I mean, we both. You know, it's just sort of." He looked at her then flickered his eyes back to Rose for a moment. "Oh, come here." He sobbed a little throwing down the gun and running to her, she ran jumping into his arms and hugging him.

Rose sighed letting out a small laugh and then joined her mother hugging her.

"Come on to the warehouse!" Rita shouted and heading in the direction, The Doctor sprinted off catching up.

"Won't the Dalek's be there?" Rose shouting running after them.

"We need those magnaclamps!" The Doctor shouted over his shoulder running beside Rita.

The Doctor opended the door and saw the hell doing on inside the warehouse. "Rita stay here" He ordered and dived to the floor heading over to the crate holding the clamps by crawling.

"Not on your own." She dived to the floor as well following him. "I thought I told you to stay!" He shouted looking back to see her close behind. "Not the time!" She shouted back kneeling against the crate and getting a clamp. The Doctor did the same and the two ran back towards the door. "Come on, please." Rose muttered to herself looking through the door.

The Doctor and Rita threw themselves into the door. _"You could have got hurt!"_ The Doctor screamed in her mind. She winced in slight pain from the sudden outburst and he then apologised: _"Sorry"_

He turned around and placed his 3D glasses on looking in the warehouse through the doors watching what the Daleks were doing. "Override roof mechanism." The black Dalek ordered not caring about the bullets and lasers from the Cybermen being shot at it. The warehouse roof shutters then slide open just as the Dalek ordered.

"Elevate."

"What're they doing?" Rose asked then questioned again. "Why do they need to get outside?"

"Time Lord science. What Time Lord science? What is it?" The Doctor throught, Rita groaned in pain and reached for the wall holding her head. The Doctor looked over and held her arm. "Rita?" He asked looking at her worried. "What's wrong."

"The Ark" She squeezed her eyes shut. "I know what it is for. It's a prison. A Dalek prison. Bigger on the inside" She groaned. "I was-" She cried out in pain forcing herself to remember.

"Don't force yourself." He sternly told her.

She gulped then tried to calm her breathing. "I was forced to build it, they made me Doctor, the high council forced me to help build it," She pleaded for him to understand as he held her shoulders keeping her balanced, staring into his eyes filled with worry that he would hate her. "I didn't have as much of a role unlike some of the others, we were told if we didn't then we would be forced to regenerate if we told anyone not involved we were forced to regenerate. No one knew Doctor" She breathed. "I did this."

"No, you didn't," He told her grabbing her shoulders tighter to make her look at him. "You had no choice." He pulled her in for a hug then heard the Daleks cries. Taking the clamp in is hand and Rita taking the other he took the brunette's hand and they ran with the humans behind heading for the stairs. "We've got to see what it's doing. We've got to go back up. Come on! All of you. top floor!" He shouted over his shoulder.

"That's forty-five floors up! Believe me, I've done them all." Jackie stopped panting.

Jake then poked his head out smiling. "We could always take the lift." He grinned, they all then ran in following. The Doctor repeatedly pressed the button jumping up and down. "Come on! Come on!" He shouted looking up.

After reaching the top the Two Time Lords ran out heading to the window to see The Genesis Ark spinning at high speed shooting Daleks out above London.

"Time Lord science. It's bigger on the inside." He breathed telling the others.

"The perfect prison ship, but the high council didn't think what could happen to it" Rita spat.

"How many Daleks?" Rose asked.

"Millions." The Time Lords answered at the same time.

Pete walked away from the window shaking his head. "I'm sorry, but you've had it." He turned around speaking to the Doctor who also turned. "This world's going to crash and burn. There's nothing we can do. We're going home." He picked up the yellow disks throwing one to Jackie. "Jacks, take this. You're coming with us."

"But they're destroying the city." She protested against Pete.

He chuckled. "I'd forgotten you could argue. It's not just London, it's the whole world. But there's another world just waiting for you, Jacks. And it's safe as long as the Doctor closes the breach." He looked at the Time Lord. "Doctor?"

The Doctor turned around from watching the window and the Ark with his 3D glasses on. Beaming. "Oh, I'm ready. I've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood." He ran to a computer terminal. "Slam it down and close off both universes."

"Reboot systems."The computer announced.

"But we can't just leave. What about the Daleks? And the Cybermen?" Rose questioned.

"They're part of the problem.

"And that makes them part of the solution." Rita added grinning at him the Doctor's hearts felt a slight pain with what she just did, he knew _she_ was her and she had no idea. "Oh yes!" He forced an excited smile. "Well? Isn't anyone going to ask what is it with the glasses?" He gestured to his face.

"What is it with the glasses?" Rose asked laughing.

"I can see, that's what. Because we've got two separate worlds, but in between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void." he explained. "That's where the Daleks were hiding. And the Cybermen travelled through the Void to get here. And you lot, one world to another, via the Void. Oh, I like that. Via the Void. Look." He gave Rose the glasses. "I've been through it. Do you see?" She looked at the Doctor using the glasses and moved around a little beaming away.

"So have I" Rita jumped in moving around copying the Doctor.

"Reboot in three minutes."

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"Void stuff." He told her.

"Like er, background radiation." Rose guessed.

"Exactly like background radiation" Rita beamed.

"Look at the others." Rose turned around to look at the rest of them. "And the only one who hasn't been through the Void, your mother." He pointed at her. "First time she's looked normal all in her life." He commented.

"Oi."

"But the Daleks lived inside the Void. They're bristling with it. Cybermen, all of them. I just open the Void and reverse. The Void stuff gets sucked back inside."

"Pulling them all in!" Rose shouted.

"Pulling them all in!" The Doctor repeated with the same enthusiasm as Rose.

"Sorry, what's the Void?" Mickey asked.

"Basically hell" Rita shrugged.

"So you're sending the Daleks and Cybermen to Hell. Man, I told you he was good." Mickey looked at Jake laughing.

Rose then frowned. "But it's like you said. We've all got Void stuff. Me too, because we went to that parallel world. We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in."

"That's why you've got to go." The Doctor told her.

"Reboot in two minutes."

"Back to Pete's world. Hey, we should call it that. Pete's World." He grinned. "I'm opening the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safe on that side." He reassured them.

"And then you close it, for good?" Pete checked.

"The breach itself is soaked in Void stuff. In the end it'll close itself. And that's it. Kaput."

"But you two stay on this side?" Rose looked at the Time Lords

"But you'll both get pulled in." Mickey added

"That's why we got these." He picked up the Magnaclamps and handed one to Rita. "I'll just have to hold on tight. I've been doing it all my life."

"About time I start" Rita smiled.

"I'm supposed to go." Rose sadly looked down.

"Yeah."

"To another world, and then it gets sealed off."

"Yeah." The Doctor moved over to a computer. Rita looked at the blonde sadly.

"Forever. That's not going to happen." The building then shook causing everyone to go slightly off balanced.

"We haven't got time to argue. The plan works. We're going. You too." Pete said to Rose and Jackie. "All of us."

"No, I'm not leaving them here." Rose protested.

"I'm not going without her." Jackie told Pete.

"Oh, my God. We're going!" He told them both. Rita slowly backed away knowing anything she said could make it worse.

"I've had twenty years without you, so button it. I'm not leaving her." Jackie snapped at Pete.

"You've got to." Rose told her mum.

"Well, that's tough." Jackie then snapped at her daughter.

"Mum."

"Reboot in one minute."

"I've had a life with you for nineteen years, but then I met the Doctor, and all the things I've seen him do for me, for you, for all of us. For the whole stupid planet and every planet out there. He does it alone, mum. He might have Rita but she's one of my best friends and I'm not leaving them." The Doctor's face looked hurt, he brought of the yellow disk from earlier and placed it around Rose's neck. Pete then slammed his fist down on his button around his neck.

The Doctor looked at Rita sadly. "You had to,trying" She told him. "Best save the world" She sighed moving over to the computer.

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak but Rita's eyes widened seeing Rose reappear.

"I think this is the on switch." The Doctor looked up from his computer. He marched over to Rose and held her shoulders. "Once the breach collapses, that's it. You will never be able to see her again. Your own mother!" He shouted at her.

Rose swallowed and spoke in a calm yet shaky voice. "I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never going to leave you two." She looked at the Doctor whose face held an unreadable expression, the Time Lady's just the same before she looked at Rose is disbelief and slight disgust.

"Doctor when this is all sorted back I want you to take me to my time, I know that no one here knows me but still maybe I can do something."

"What?" He looked at her blinking.

"Even though the life I thought I had is a complete lie I still know what it is like to not have a family, to be completely alone with no blood related to your own ever since you can remember, it's horrible. I can't face you day after day knowing you made the choice to leave your family like that." She looked at Rose whose face fell with guilt. "I just can't, I'm sorry."

Rose swallowed thickly not realising how much effect she had on the Time Lady. "So what can I do to help?"

"Systems rebooted. Open access." The computer informed them.

"Those coordinates over there, set them all at six." He ordered her pointing at a terminal. "And hurry up!" He shouted.

 _"Doctor calm down"_ Rita thought trying to talk to him through her mind. She looked at the Doctor trying to see any signs that he received it but saw that he obviously didn't get the message since he looked angry typing away at another terminal.

"We've got Cybermen on the way up." Rose informed them.

"How many floors down?" The Doctor ran over to her and looked at the monitor.

"Just one."

"Oh!" Rita jumped in the air. "I remember!" She beamed the Doctor looked at her slightly confused. "Yvonne got 'upgraded' but she couldn't have been fully upgraded because she's down there right now shooting the Cybermen helping us, never liked her but just this once I do" She beamed.

"Rita you are brilliant!" The Doctor shouted.

"I know" She grinned.

"Cheeky" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Levers operational."

"That's more like it. Bit of a smile. The old team." Rose smiled at them both.

"Hope and Glory, Mutt and Jeff, Shiver and Shake, the mysterious trio!"

"The mysterious trio?" Rose raised a brow.

"Maybe, the Doctor, Rita and Rose was better." The Doctor shrugged and ran into the office and handed Rose a Magnaclamp then ran back out and over to the wall placing it against. "Press the red button." Rose nodded doing just that. "When it starts, just hold on tight. Shouldn't be too bad for us but the Daleks and the Cybermen are steeped in Void stuff. Rita and I will have to share since we weren't planning on you being with us. Are you ready?" He asked her and she nodded.

"The pepperpots are." Rita looked out the window then grabbed onto the Magnaclamp.

"Let's do it!" The Doctor shouted and they pushed the lever then grabbed onto the Magnaclamps.

"Online." There was a sudden breeze and the wall lit up, the Daleks by the window screamed as they were sucked into the void. "Emergency!" One of them cried.

"The breach is open! Into the Void! Ha!" The Doctor shouted.

"Goodbye Pepper pots" Rita shouted laughing and watching the Daleks and now Cybermen getting pulled through the one broken window and straight into the void. Rita's eyes widened as she noticed the lever on Rose's side move slightly.

"Offline." The computer states and the breeze and the Daleks and Cybermen being sucked into the void slows down. "No!" Rita screamed as Rose let go of the Magnaclamp to grab the lever and pull it up.

"I've got to get it upright!" She shouts to them pulling on it to make the suction more powerful. She gave it one more push and it clicked into place starting the suction back up. The Daleks and Cybermen then are pulled in again screaming.

"Online and locked."

"Rose, hold on! Hold on!" The Doctor shouts then reached out his arm. Rita screamed watching the girl then get horizontally pulled. She held on to the lever until her fingers slipped. The Doctor and Rita both screamed out as the blonde who was pulled towards the void to be taken away forever.

Somehow Pete appears just before Rose was sucked in catching her and taking her back to Pete's world with his daughter in his arms. The wind then began to slowly die down until there was nothing left. The void closed on itself and closed for good trapping Rose in the Parallel World. Rita fell to the floor out of energy and being purely tired. She panted a few tears slipping down her face out of sadness quietly crying over her friend while the Doctor walked over to the wall and placed a cheek and hand against it. Rita slowly pulled herself over to the wall and leant against just staring. The Doctor turned around and slid down beside the brunette and pulled her into his chest holding her close as if he believed she would be taken next. After a few minutes of mourning the brunette stopped her face the same as the Doctors, the two of them looking completely broken, the Doctor from pain of Rose almost dying and Rita from being completely exhausted. They stood up together and slowly walked away from the wall, from Torchwood.

Three days past and the Doctor mostly stayed in his room in the TARDIS, that was when Rita was either sitting in the jump seat of the console room deep in thought about her friend or who she was unless when she was in the Libary curled up by the fire reading anything and everything to get her mind off the what happened. When Rita was sleeping which was actually around every other day since she had lost a lot of energy from trying too hard with everything the Doctor sat in the console room trying to find something somewhere, just a gap big enough to say goodbye, to say sorry for being the reason she almost died multiple times. The Doctor sighed in the console room staring at the scanner and seeing nothing yet again until there was a beep. He jolted his head up and stared at it. "Of course!" he jumped up then ran around the console pressing buttons and flicking switches. "Rita!" He screamed running down the hall as fast as he could and then skidding to a stop by her bedroom door. He frantically banged on it hoping for the brunette to answer.

"Doctor what is-" He cut her off as she opened her bedroom door confused about his sudden outburst, he then dragging her away almost causing her to almost fall face first into the floor. "I found it!" He shouted over his shoulder. "A gap!" He ran around the console. "Just a small gap but it's a gap!" He looked at the brunette who slumped down in the jump seat. "Rita?" He looked at her sadly then softly spoke. "We're going to say goodbye to Rose" She jolted her head up and her eyes grew wide in realisation then jumped up and moved around the TARDIS watching the Doctor fly them to a supernova.

Rose walked up the beach and an image of the two Time Lord's appeared. Rita smiled sadly at the blonde. "Where are you?" She asked them

"Inside the TARDIS." The Doctor replied. "There's one tiny little gap in the Universe left, just about to close, and it takes a lot of power to send this projection. We're in orbit around a super nova. We're burning up a sun just to say goodbye.

"You two look like ghosts." Rita chuckled a little at the blonde's comment while the Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver.

"Hold on" He used it pointing at the console as the images solidified.

"Can I" She went to give them both a hug and they sadly shook their heads.

"I wish" Rita looked at the blonde. "We're still inside the TARDIS, we're just images"

"Can't you both come through properly?" She asked.

"The whole thing would fracture. Two universes would collapse." The Doctor answered.

"So?" The Time Lords laughed at her comment.

"Where are we? Where did the gap come out?" The Doctor asked.

"We're in Norway." Rose told them and they nodded.

"Norway. Right." The Doctor nodded.

"About fifty miles out of Burgen. It's called 'Dårlig Ulv Stranden'."

"Dalek?" The Doctor looked at her and she shook her head.

"Had enough of the pepper pots" Rita muttered and they both laughed.

"D _årlig_." Rose corrected the Doctor. "It's Norwegian for bad. This translates as Bad Wolf Bay." The Doctor chuckled at the name "How long have we got?"

"Two minutes." Rita told Rose who then sighed as Rose sniffed crying out. "I can't think of what to say!"

"You've still got Mister Mickey, then?"

"There's five of us now. Mum, Dad, Mickey and the baby." Rose told him.

"You're not?" He asked. Rita glanced at him for a moment then looked back at the blonde.

"No." She laughed seeing Rita's face. "It's mum. She's three months gone. More Tylers on the way."

"Have to get her to teach them the Tyler slap. Gonna miss him complaining about that." Rita chuckled.

"And what about you? Are you-"

"Yeah, I'm back working in the shop." She interrupted.

"Oh, good for you." He nodded.

"Shut up. No, I'm not. There's still a Torchwood on this planet. It's open for business. I think I know a thing or two about aliens." She smiled at them.

"Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earth." The Doctor proudly smiled then his face saddened a little. "You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on a list of the dead. Here you are, living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have."

Rita nodded sighing. "You and me both Doctor" He looked over at her sadly then looked back at Rose.

"Am I ever going to see you two again?" She sobbed.

"You can't."

"What're you going to do?" She asked her voice now breaking and her eyes becoming glassy.

"Oh, We've got the Tardis. Same old life, last of the Time Lords." He looked at Rita who nodded in agreement.

"On your own." A tear slipped out of her eye and rolled down her cheek. "I, I love you." She cried to the Doctor, Rita looked on sadly.

"Quite right, too." He gave a weak smile now tearing up himself. "And I suppose if it's one last chance to say it, Rose Tyler..." The projection vanished and the Doctor stood there broken. Rita looked at him sadly seeing a tear fall. She never saw him cry before, not in person. She let him be on his own to think about his thoughts, she looked down sadly at the floor not sure what to do or say anymore. She felt someone pull her and then looked up to see the Doctor hugging her his head on hers more tears leaving his eyes.

 _"Oh Doctor"_ He gave her a weak smile and she blinked not sure if he got the message. After a moment or two, he let her go and wiped his eyes then forced a smile at the brunette who sent one back. He started to press buttons on the console. Rita moved around sitting in the jump seat watching the Doctor and then looked towards the doors to see a woman dressed in... A wedding dress? With her back to the Time Lords. She froze and then the Doctor noticed her as well. "What" His mouth fell open and his eyes widened. The woman turned round and saw them both looking horrified.

"Oh!" She gasped.

"What?" The Doctor repeated then looked at Rita.

"How?" Rita questioned.

"Who are you?" She looked at the Doctor then at Rita. "And you!"

"But." The Doctor went to speak.

"Where am I, eh?" The woman looked around.

"What?" The Doctor repeated.

"What the hell is this place?" The woman shouted demanding an answer looking very annoyed.

"How?" Rita said again.

"What?"

* * *

 **And there goes the first story! The second book will be uploaded in a few days time. Keep your eyes peeled for that ;)**


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